LINGUIST List 3.169

Sat 22 Feb 1992

Qs: Chinese, Dictionary, Final Devoicing

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

  • Ralf Thiede, CP/IP system in Chinese--query
  • , Re: 3.164 Genes and Language Disorders
  • , RE: dictionary writing - request for help
  • Johanna Rubba, Re: 3.053 Origin of "Honkie"
  • Ron Southerland, Language and Power Course
  • , Spanish la -> el
  • , Final Devoicing
  • Dr M Sebba, query about Pasilingua

    Message 1: CP/IP system in Chinese--query

     Date: Fri, 21 Feb 92 14:43:39 ESCP/IP system in Chinese--query
    From: Ralf Thiede <FEN00RT1UNCCVM.bitnet>
    Subject: CP/IP system in Chinese--query


    I am trying to find some papers or articles or books on Chinese syntax which use the Government-and-Binding paradigm of projection grammar. A student of mine and I are trying to learn whether Chinese has a complete CP system (maybe not, we suspect) or IP system (probably no AGR), but we can't find anything in print so far within the current theory to educate ourselves. Can anyone give pointers? Ralf Thiede UNCC Dept. of English <FEN00RT1UNCCVM> <rthiedeunccvax.uncc.edu>

    Message 2: Re: 3.164 Genes and Language Disorders

    Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1992 10:08 ESTRe: 3.164 Genes and Language Disorders
    From: <SJS97ALBNYVMS.bitnet>
    Subject: Re: 3.164 Genes and Language Disorders


    Does anyone know the "snail mail" addresses for Michael Stubbs and Stephen Levinson, both of the UK? Please send responses directly to: SJS97ALBNYVMS. S. Sigman

    Message 3: RE: dictionary writing - request for help

     Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1992 16:34:56 RE: dictionary writing - request for help
    From: <SEGUINVAXS.SSCL.UWO.CA>
    Subject: RE: dictionary writing - request for help


    Kenn Harper is a linguist who has been asked to evaluate a dictionary project for the Government of the Northwest Territories. He does not have easy access to good library resources and would appreciate information on current litera- ture on dictionary development. Issues of particular relevance for this project include: methodologies, software, published reviews of other dictionaries, principles of dictionary construction; innovative projects from other language areas, etc.

    Kenn needs information very quickly as a short deadline has been set. He is not on email, and can be reached either by phone (819) 979-4616 FAX (819) 979-4207 or by mail at: Kenn Harper, Box 670 Iqaluit, NWT, X0A 0H0, Canada.

    Message 4: Re: 3.053 Origin of "Honkie"

    Date: Fri, 21 Feb 92 15:52:10 PSRe: 3.053 Origin of "Honkie"
    From: Johanna Rubba <rubbabend.UCSD.EDU>
    Subject: Re: 3.053 Origin of "Honkie"


    This isn't about 'honky', but about 'copacetic'. I heard a whole piece on PBS -- I don't know how many years ago. It was by a fellow who was a sort of language commentator -- someone very famous, who is now dead, but I can't for the life of me remember his name. He had a regular program about words or language or something. Anyway, he gave a whole story from Hebrew about 'copacetic'. Maybe someone else on the net can fill us in -- any Semitists out there who know the story?

    Or is speculating about 'honky' taking up enough space??

    Jo Rubba - UC San Diego

    Message 5: Language and Power Course

     Date: Fri, 21 Feb 92 17:14:53 MSLanguage and Power Course
    From: Ron Southerland <southerlacs.ucalgary.ca>
    Subject: Language and Power Course


    I'll be offering a new course with the above title in the Department of Linguistics (University of Calgary) in Fall 1992. It will be available to students beyond the first year and will have no linguistics (or other) pre- requisites. The course is supposed to address issues of 'language and power' in areas of racism, sexism, and the discourse of government and business (advertising). I'm aware of a number of texts/articles in language and gender and of Robin Lakoff's _Talking Power_. I'd appreciate receiving any suggestions anyone may have about texts or readings for this course -- and I'd really like to have general comments or suggestions from anyone who has taught such a course.

    I will summarize to Linguist whatever responses I receive.

    Ron Southerland Department of Linguistics The University of Calgary

    southerlacs.ucalgary.ca [Internet] SoutherlandUNCAMULT [Bitnet]

    Message 6: Spanish la -> el

     Date: Fri, 21 Feb 92 21:18:56 ESSpanish la -> el
    From: <Alexis_Manaster_RamerMTS.cc.Wayne.edu>
    Subject: Spanish la -> el


    I am informed that the words azucar and avestruz are optionally feminine, but always take the article el. Are there any Spanish speakers who would care to send me their feelings about this.

    Message 7: Final Devoicing

     Date: Fri, 21 Feb 92 21:39:28 ESFinal Devoicing
    From: <Alexis_Manaster_RamerMTS.cc.Wayne.edu>
    Subject: Final Devoicing


    This is a query directed to linguists familiar with languages with final devoicing (especially but not limited to Polish, Russian, Dutch, German, (certain varieties of) Yiddish, and Catalan).

    It is sometimes claimed that in at least some of these languages final devoicing can be "suppressed" when you "enunciate" (specifically, when you put a brief schwa-like vocoid after the final obstruent). However, my observation (at least in the case of Polish and Russian) is that it is possible to enunciate devoiced obstruents, as in the word ad, in one of two ways, depending on what is MEANT. Thus, if I want to stress that the word is spelled with a final 'd', then I can say it with a [d] followed by a brief vocoid of schwa- like timbre. But if I want to stress that it is pronounced /at/ and not /ad/ (as in correcting a foreigner who has not learned to devoice), then I can say it as a [t] followed by a similar brief vocoid.

    The question is whether anybody agrees or disagrees with my observation for these two languages and whether anybody would be willing to say whether the same is true or untrue about any other language with final devoicing (especially but not limited to the ones listed).

    Please respond directly to me, not to the list. And please indicate whether you would mind being cited in print as a source. (If anyone knows of published accounts of these phenomena, please let me know).

    Message 8: query about Pasilingua

     Date: Fri, 21 Feb 92 14:38:18 GMquery about Pasilingua
    From: Dr M Sebba <eia023cent1.lancs.ac.uk>
    Subject: query about Pasilingua


    "Orthodox linguists have paid scant attention to [pidgins and creoles]. ... apart from Steiner, the inventor of Pasilingua (1885), none of the pioneers of language-planning seems to have considered them worthy of study." F. Bodmer, The Loom of Language (1943), p. 442 Has anyone any idea who Steiner was, what Pasilingua was like, what he knew about Pidgins, and / or how he incorporated this knowledge into his artificial language?