[Lexicog] stereotypical beliefs and lexicography

[Peter Kirk]

On 20/02/2005 17:27, Patrick Hanks wrote:

> Oho! Lexicographylist has woken up again!
>
> Do all languages contain derogatory stereotypes about neighbouring
> peoples? ...


Maybe not. I can't think of any lexicalised examples in Azerbaijani,
although they can be very rude about their neighbours. I wonder if that
is because relations are too close to open warfare. I note that these
expressions in English are not so often about modern enemies as about
old ones, like the French, the Dutch and the Scots. I suspect a
graduation from open warfare to residual hatred to stereotyping with
such expressions to the lexicalisation and wider application of such
expressions.

> ... The recent discussion of "Dutch courage", etc. provided
> some interesting examples. Does Dutch have derogatory expressions
> involving "English"?  Or is Dutch stereotypically more polite -- or
> more parochial -- than English?


Just ask them how they stereotype the Belgians!

> ... the English stereotype for 'oasis' is that oases are calm.
> tranquil, quiet, and green ... But my much-travelled colleague
> Christiane Fellbaum tells me that in reality oases are typically
> noisy, smelly, dirty places full of bustling people and honking
> trucks.  About the only things that a stereotypical oasis in English
> has in common with the real thing, it seems, is that it's found in a
> desert and has water!
>

But is this because the reality of the oasis has changed more quickly
than the image? A century ago there would have been no honking trucks,
and probably in most cases a lot less people. And there certainly are
still tranquil oases in some places.

--
Peter Kirk
peter at qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk at qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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