Sociological Linguistics

[Patrick C. Ryan]

Dear Robert and IEists:

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Orr <colkitto at sprint.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 12:50 AM

Pat wrote:

>> I have not been asserting that languages "become more complex, less
>> ambiguous, and more expressive". I have asserted only that the
>> proto-language, which was simple,  became more complex, less ambiguous,
>> and more expressive over time.

Robert commented:

> R.M.W. Dixon suggests in his recent book "The Rise and fall of Languages"
> that once the language facility was "discovered" by humans, language would
> have developed rapidly, possibly in the space of a generation or two, and
> the end result of that development would have been quite complex,
> comparable to modern languages.

Pat comments:

I consider the idea that language was "discovered" absurd, and the idea that
fully developed language took only a generation or two to appear: quite
preposterous!

What, pray tell, are the qualifications of R. M. W. Dixon?

[ Moderator's reply:
  More than 30 years working in Australian languages, as well as other families
  in other parts of the world.  You would do well to check out references such
  as this, his most recent book, before taking this tone again about *any*
  linguist, sir.  Even those of us who disagree with his conclusions respect
  them, and his other accomplishments.
  --rma ]

<snip>

Pat

PATRICK C. RYAN (501) 227-9947; FAX/DATA (501)312-9947 9115 W. 34th St.
Little Rock, AR 72204-4441 USA WEBPAGES:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/2803 and PROTO-RELIGION:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/2803/proto-religion/indexR.html "Veit
ek, at ek hekk, vindga meipi, nftr allar nmu, geiri undapr . . . a ~eim
meipi er mangi veit hvers hann af rstum renn." (Havamal 138)