LL-L "Anniversary" 2006.03.20 (09) [E]

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   L O W L A N D S - L * 20 March 2006 * Volume 09
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From: Ben J. Bloomgren <Ben.Bloomgren at asu.edu>
Subject: LL-L "Anniversary" 2006.03.20 (08) [E]

The story about the wren has no "strategic" contents.  We chose it because
it's Lowlandic by origin and it's more interesting (and cuter) than the
usual set of sentences or the story about the north wind and the sun.  This
is not only for linguists but for anyone, and one of the aims is to attract
people to a sort of language extravaganza or celebration.  A purely academic
approach does not cast the net as widely and tends to be intimidating and
offputting to the average person, and yet, our material is of use for
professionals as well.

Oh man, Ron! You think that the North Wind and the Sun is offputting? I
can't remember which site it is, but I feel so sorry for some of the
participants on this one web site that I found. Maybe you suggested it to
us, or somebody on the list. It is trying to see how English phonology
clashes with that of other languages, from French to Fante. It is a funny
instruction list that goes something like this:

Please call Stella. Tell her to go to the store and buy six big bags of
peas, a slab of bleu cheese...

It is crazy! Some languages that don't do well with consonant clusters cause
the most pity. There's a stretch wherein every word has consonant cluster,
and the person's brain is trying to make the sound, but the mouth is
unwilling. I'm so glad that you didn't do that.
Ben

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Anniversary

Hey, Ben, or mahalo, 'Io-lani!

> Oh man, Ron! You think that the North Wind and the Sun is offputting?

In the sense that it's boring to the general public, though it may be a good 
neutral text that doesn't require the use of idiomatic expressions and 
zoological terminology.

Isn't the other thing you talked about material for surveying "accents," 
native and foreign, in English?

What Marcel doesn't yet know is the incentive and prospect of me bestowing 
upon him a Hawaiian name of honor for special services rendered (instead of 
the old electronic gold stars).  All the names are of the 
aristocratic-sounding type.  Needless to say, each of these special honors 
comes with an explanation of the meaning and a proto-Polynesian 
reconstruction!  As if that weren't incentive enough ...  Fortunately, so 
far most people have appreciated theirs, and that includes you, Ben (a.k.a. 
'Io-lani), not to mention Jacqueline (a.k.a. 'Uki'ukikehamoku: "Dear Ron, I 
am absolutely tickled pink with my new name, especially with the uki'uki 
part") and Heather (a.k.a. Pualalokupukupu: "I love it!  I shall adopt it 
instantly and insist on being called nothing else when I am carrying my 
large bag brought back from Hawaii by my daughter last year and filling up 
the bird feeder coconut (same source) and wearing my lei/beads (ditto)").

Oh, and Marcel, while you're at it with your electronic voice recorder, how 
about recording some interesting Afrikaans versions as well, and Zulu and 
Xhosa and ... and ... whatever else the lovely region has to offer?  (Don't 
even try to stop me in my greed!)

This is a good time to thank our Elsie* and Mark for holding high the 
Afrikaans flag when no one else would on this list, Elsie also for her many 
special services, including the ones to the anniversary project, some seen 
and heard, others behind the scene.  She has been a great friend and 
supporter to us almost from the very beginning of LL-L, and it is high time 
that this be officially recognized and spelled out.

* ELSIE:
Manumele-luna-'Āinakula
(< *Manumere-runga-Kāinga(kula))
'āina (land)
kula (< gold)
luna (above)
manu (bird)
mele (song, poem)
manu mele (songbird)

E pili mau nā pōmaika'i me 'oe, ā nā kalokalo leo 'ana no ke ola!
(Best wishes, and may you enjoy good health!)

Reinhard/Ron
(your friendly local Kahuna 'Ōlelo Kai 'Ākau) 

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