Modeling language death

[Mia Kalish]

I love the model; at least it’s a start. However, I don’t fully support
their premise regarding bilinguality (x=0.5). In Computer Science, many,
many languages co-exist. This is also true (or used to be true) in many
non-American countries, where sometimes 4+ languages coexisted, for the
different groups of people, for commerce, for law, that sort of thing. 

 

So I would like to see them apply the same model to the rise and fall of
computer languages over the last 60-70 years . . .  maybe I’ll write to them
and tell them that. 

 

Well, I’m writing the results section of my dissertation . . . a bit ahead
of actually building the movies so I can see all the assumptions and
constraints and design for them. I am truly doing this in the philosophy of
the Diné cycle of knowing :-) 

 

Best, 

Mia

 

  _____  

From: Indigenous Languages and Technology [mailto:ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU]
On Behalf Of Susan Penfield
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 6:19 AM
To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: Re: [ILAT] Modeling language death

 

Thanks for this, Mia
Math is not my thing but even I could understand and appreciate this!
Interesting to see how different disciplines can come to the same
conclusions,but
represent and discuss them in different ways. Adds the credibility of a
really 'hard' science to the description of language death. 

Best,
Susan

On 8/1/06, Mia Kalish <MiaKalish at learningforpeople.us> wrote:

This is an excellent article. People might like to read it. 

 

It is short, 1 page, but full of implication. 

 

http://tam.cornell.edu/Strogatz%20language_death.pdf 

 

People are always impressed by that which can be "measured" or "modeled"  .
. . math is distant but impressive. 

I am using it as a grounding thesis for immersion learning materials. With a
model, it's no longer a question of interpretation, belief, or position. 

'Course, my dissertation is all about math anyway, so it's a nice way to go.


 

Hope all are well. Raining here. Lots of floods. . . not where I live, but
other places. 

 

Best, 

Mia 

 

 

 




-- 
Susan D. Penfield, Ph.D.


Department of English(Primary)           
Associate Director, Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language
and Literacy (CERCLL) 
American Indian Language Devel.Institute
Department of Linguistics 
Second Language Acquistion &Teaching
     Ph.D. Program
Dept. of Language,Reading and Culture
The Southwest Center (Research)
       
Phone for messages: (520) 621-1836 

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