neologisms

[Hammond, Michael - (hammond)]

Subject: Re: [ilat] Neologisms and Indigenous Languages
Date: August 26, 2014 9:40:05 AM MST
To: Adrienne Tsikewa <miss_adrienne7 at yahoo.com<mailto:miss_adrienne7 at yahoo.com>>
Cc: ILAT <ilat at list.arizona.edu<mailto:ilat at list.arizona.edu>>


Hi Adrienne

I know for Welsh there is at least one group that does this as contract work for the government or private companies. For example, some company might want to have Welsh terminology, for recording studios. This group goes in and surveys the recording community about existing words that might already be used, proposes new ones where needed. I believe they do surveys again about whether the new ones work.

Of course, it's an evolving thing, so the words may or may not catch on. It's what you might expect. They might propose some morphologically complex form for a novel item, but the English borrowing is more appealing, or vice versa.

Is it necessary? I would think definitely so. If, for example, there were no Welsh words for the things in a recording studio, otherwise fluent Welsh speakers would turn to English in that setting...and it would be one more area where the language could lose ground.

mike h.

On Aug 26, 2014, at 9:17 AM, Adrienne Tsikewa wrote:

Good morning ILAT,

I am interested in learning more  on how Indigenous Language communities not only create new words in their respective languages ( I did find an article by Ryan Denzer-King), but also how these communities may feel about these neologisms.

Are the communities actually using them? How were they introduced to the community? Is this necessary for language maintenance/revitalization?

Thanks/Elahkwa,

Adrienne Tsikewa

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