Grand Ronde spellings and others for CJ

[R K Henderson]

I quite agree, both with your approach to handling spelling variances,
and to your reading of the "families" of Jargon.

As for exactly what a "dialect" is, I try to avoid that whole tarpit when
possible. The only time I object is when someone uses "dialect" to
denigrate a usage tradition, as in a _mere_ dialect, or for political
reasons, as in "The Fatherland is justified in annexing Holland because
the Dutch speak a 'dialect' of German." Barring that, I use the word
informally and unscientifically to describe any variance on a given
language that includes significant differences in grammar.

The only thing about spelling discussions (and grammar discussions too,
for that matter) that makes me nervous is when people start arguing about
which model is "right." This is instinctive to literate people like
ourselves, and we tend to forget that you sacrifice a lot when you
shackle a language to paper. Jargon, which is by definition an oral
tradition, stands to lose bigger than most if someone decides to set
herself up as the Jargon Webster and compel everyone to write the same
way.

So that's why I like to remind myself and others that there is no such
thing as Jargon spelling, grammar, or pronunciation when model
comparisons spring up, as they inevitably must. (And should.)

Hyas massie pi alki,

Robin Henderson

Rob's Canfact of the Moment:

Newfoundland and Nova Scotia are Iceland's Mazatlan, drawing thousands of
tourists from that country every year. Evidently, Halifax is all the
glamour Icelanders can stand.