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In the Land of Invented Languages

од richardhall, 01. јун 2009.

Поруке: 43

Језик: English

richardhall (Погледати профил) 01. јун 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 (Погледати профил) 01. јун 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 (Погледати профил) 02. јун 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 (Погледати профил) 02. јун 2009. 16.18.34

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

hiyayaywhopee (Погледати профил) 02. јун 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 (Погледати профил) 02. јун 2009. 20.11.41

Looks like he confused Esperanto and Ido then.

Miland (Погледати профил) 02. јун 2009. 20.14.19

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

ceigered (Погледати профил) 03. јун 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 (Погледати профил) 03. јун 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 (Погледати профил) 03. јун 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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