6.501 Linguistics in science fiction

[The Linguist List]

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LINGUIST List:  Vol-6-501. Tue 04 Apr 1995. ISSN: 1068-4875. Lines: 41
 
Subject: 6.501 Linguistics in science fiction
 
Moderators: Anthony Rodrigues Aristar: Texas A&M U. <aristar at tam2000.tamu.edu>
            Helen Dry: Eastern Michigan U. <hdry at emunix.emich.edu>
 
Asst. Editors: Ron Reck <rreck at emunix.emich.edu>
               Ann Dizdar <dizdar at tam2000.tamu.edu>
               Ljuba Veselinova <lveselin at emunix.emich.edu>
               Annemarie Valdez <avaldez at emunix.emich.edu>
 
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1)
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 1995 22:00:04 -0800 (PST)
From: Anna Livia Julian Brawn (livia at uclink.berkeley.edu)
Subject: Re: 6.418 Sum: Linguistics in science fiction
 
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1)
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 1995 22:00:04 -0800 (PST)
From: Anna Livia Julian Brawn (livia at uclink.berkeley.edu)
Subject: Re: 6.418 Sum: Linguistics in science fiction
 
 
Sorry I'm late joining this thread, in fact I believe the sleeve has
already been hemmed.  I wanted to add one more reference to the list of
science fictional works which deal with some aspect of linguistics.
Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 classic _Alphaville_ is a reworking of the
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.  Words referring to concepts which have been
condemned by the central computer disappear automatically from the
dictionary which, like Gideons' Bibles, may be found in every room.  If a
word is not in the dictionary, you cannot say it, nor can you conceive of
its referent. Words which disappear during the course of the film include
robin redbreast, tenderness, and that old staple, love.
 
Anna Livia
 
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