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In the Land of Invented Languages

af richardhall, 1. jun. 2009

Meddelelser: 43

Sprog: English

richardhall (Vise profilen) 1. jun. 2009 22.26.18

I've picked up on a bit of buzz about this book around the interweb. Has anyone here read it yet? And (if so) what did you think of it? The reviews I've read suggest that the author is sympathetic to Eo

Miland (Vise profilen) 1. jun. 2009 23.05.38

richardhall:.. The reviews I've read suggest that the author is sympathetic to Eo
I'm less sure. Her website's biography refers to "losers like Esperanto and Klingon", although she goes on to say:
"Initial feelings of pity and revulsion gave way to fascination and affection, and she embarked on a whirlwind romance with the history of invented languages. The love child of this passion is her book In the Land of Invented Languages."

roint (Vise profilen) 2. jun. 2009 16.12.40

I almost majored in linguistics in college, until I realized that my chances for a job afterward would be next to nothing. I'm glad now that I didn't, or else I'd have to write a condescending novel made entirely of century-old fears and misconceptions.

Congratulations to Arika Okrent, the Carlos Mencia of linguists.

richardhall (Vise profilen) 2. jun. 2009 16.18.34

roint:Congratulations to Arika Okrent, the Carlos Mencia of linguists.
You didn't think much of it, then?

hiyayaywhopee (Vise profilen) 2. jun. 2009 16.59.23

I thought I might want to major in linguistics until the first day of classes a year ago when the professor told us that Esperanto was a dead language invented some time ago by a team of French people and used it as an example of how only "naturally-evolving" languages could ever work. Needless to say, that turned me off from the discipline pretty quickly, and my personal theory that linguistics consists mainly of whatever BS you feel has to be right was never discounted.

I thought I read an interview of this Arika Okrent that made her seem decent enough, but I can't find it so I may just be imagining things.

Rogir (Vise profilen) 2. jun. 2009 20.11.41

Looks like he confused Esperanto and Ido then.

Miland (Vise profilen) 2. jun. 2009 20.14.19

Rogir:Looks like he confused Esperanto and Ido then.
Good one! rido.gif

ceigered (Vise profilen) 3. jun. 2009 07.59.02

hiyayaywhopee:Needless to say, that turned me off from the discipline pretty quickly, and my personal theory that linguistics consists mainly of whatever BS you feel has to be right was never discounted.
Mmm I have similar sentiments. I think linguistics can often be like philosophy at times. Whatever sounds good said by a guy who looks like he knows what he is saying (even if he doesn't) is accepted ridulo.gif

Did you proceed to politely inform the professor that you were "in possession of conflicting information which could POSSIBLY, just possibly challenge his preconceptions"? ridulo.gif

Rogir (Vise profilen) 3. jun. 2009 12.03.17

I was in an introductory Linguistics class together with one other Esperantist, but the subject wasn't mentioned except when the other claimed Esperanto is not an Indo-European language, and the teacher said it was. And to be honest, I think they both have a point.

tommjames (Vise profilen) 3. jun. 2009 12.13.27

ceigered:Whatever sounds good said by a guy who looks like he knows what he is saying (even if he doesn't) is accepted ridulo.gif
That reminds me of when Noam Chomsky declared Esperanto to be "not a language". I guess that depends on how you define language. Perhaps Esperanto is something else (according to his models anyway), but I think it serves as a useful reminder that linguistics at its most "advanced" can often amount to little more than dogma. I for one take these guys with a pinch of salt.

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