Broadening linguistic horizon (fwd)

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Broadening linguistic horizon

Posted on Friday, December 03 @ 19:16:19 CST BST
http://www.kuenselonline.com/article.php?sid=4771&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

3 December 2004 - A historical perspective on the development of
Dzongkha, a comparative study on written Tibetan and written Dzongkha
and the nominalization in Tshangla were among research papers presented
by Bhutanese scholars in the 10th Himalayan language symposium which
concluded today in Thimphu.

Two foreign linguists, George Van Driem and Dr. Stephen Watters also
presented papers on the grammars of Lhokpu, Black mountain Moenpa and
Kheng Gongduk and on the property concepts in Dzongkha.

At the three-day symposium, eight research papers were presented on
Bhutanese languages, the largest so far, besides five papers on
languages in Nepal, two on Tibetan languages, two on Indian languages
and one on a language in south China. The presentations were made by
sixteen international linguists and six Bhutanese scholars.

The hybridity in the Himalayas; thoughts on the terminological
construction of ethnic categories; dictionary writing in the Himalayas
and reflections on varying ethno linguistic approaches; Tibetan verb
paradigms were some of the other research papers that were presented.

“The research presentation, debate and discussion has opened a new
horizon, new field for research, and a new assignment for the linguists
on endangered Himalayan languages,” said the director of the Himalayan
Language Project Professor George Van Driem.

For Bhutanese scholars, the symposium stimulated more scientific
investigation of languages and dialects in the country. So far very few
had ventured in this field.

At the inauguration of the symposium, the education minister Lyonpo
Thinley Gyamtsho said that indigenous languages and dialects were
deteriorating all over the world and Bhutan too was feeling the pinch.

“Many languages in certain parts of the Himalayas are endangered. It is
the duty of the linguists to document these languages for the benefit
of our future generations before they vanish,” said Lyonpo Thinley
Gyamtsho.

The symposium, an annual event for linguists researching Himalayan
languages was held for the first time in Bhutan and was jointly
organized by the home ministry and the Dzongkha Development Authority.

By Bishal Rai
bishal at kuensel.com.bt