Fw: [Lexicog] Lakhota dictionary database

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Leman" <wayne_leman at sil.org>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 7:47 PM
Subject: [Lexicog] Lakhota dictionary database


> Jan Ullrich asked:
>
> > Have you traced any interesting lexical relations in your Cheyenne
> lexicon?
>
> Well, I confess that most of the relations I find in languages are
> "interesting" to me. I say this because I recall 30 years or so that some
> things in languages or theoretical discussions were dismissed by some as
> being "uninteresting." Of course, this is the perennial issue of beauty
(or
> "interest") being in the eyes of the beholder.
>
> To get to the real question which I'm sure you are asking (aren't our
> questions "interesting"?!!): Yes, I have been trying to mark (in Shoebox)
> all the lexical relations I can find, as I go along. But I know that there
> is still much work left. I have, however, tried to mark relationships of
> antonymy, synonymy, connotations, figurative usage, taxonomic relations,
> such as superordinate classes (I try to use only ones which are pointed
out
> to me by Cheyennes, first, through lexical evidence itself, such as the
use
> of superordinate category terms, but also as Cheyennes discuss semantic
> domains and scripts, some of which may not have lexicalized labels), and
> then formal lexical relationships, especially of a derivational nature,
> interrogatives, negation, imperatives, nominalization, denominalization,
> locative and instrumental forms, some irregular possessives, etc.
>
> > And are you working on any multi-dialect materials which would include
the
> > Southern Cheyennes?
>
> Yes, we have included Southern Cheyenne material from the very start. I
> began my study of Cheyenne in Oklahoma in 1971. Technically, it is exactly
> the same language spoken in Montana and Oklahoma. There is no different in
> the morphology or syntax between the two locations. But there are a
handful
> of lexical items which are used differently in the two locations. And
> Cheyennes enjoy teasing each other about these differences. Cheyennes
place
> such a strong emphasis on these differences and the North/South geography
> that they consider the varieties of language spoken in Montana and
Oklahoma
> to be, at a minimum, different dialects, and sometimes they even call them
> different languages. Hence, there is fairly frequent reference to the
> "Northern Cheyenne Language." And from some of what I've read, if people
> believe strongly enough that they speak a different dialect or language,
> then it should be so considered. I'm content to be agreeable about this,
but
> in classes for Cheyennes I might try to point out ways that dialects and
> languages are differentiated according to a variety of factors in various
> situations around the world. All of our materials are sent to Oklahoma for
> use. And we try to get access to materials which are developed in
Oklahoma.
>
> Cheers,
> Wayne
> -----
> Wayne Leman
> Busby, Montana, U.S.A.
> Cheyenne dictionary project:
> http://www.geocities.com/cheyenne_language/cddicy.htm
>
> >
> > Best
> >
> > Jan
>
>
>
>
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