LL-L: "Orthography" [E/S] LOWLANDS-L, 11.JUN.1999 (02)

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From: "Sandy Fleming" <sandy at fleimin.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Orthography

[Part of the following is in Scots and English]

John wrate anent 'springheid':

> But if it's no an English word, an if 'spring', i the sense o a place at
> watter comes frae, is a shared Scots/English word, than hou dis translatin
> throu English mak it onie different? I maun say the meanin leukit obvious
> eneuch ti me - I wadna hae uised it else (likely wadna e'en hae
> myndit it.)

Ay, A see the prablem here - A wadna think on uizin "spring" wi the wattery
meanin in Scots - tae me this wad be a "wall" (actually "well" in ma
dialect). Tae me "spring" can mean a lot o things in Scots, but in the sense
o watter A wad juist uize it in English. In the Glesca suburb o "Springburn"
for example, A wad think on "spring" as the verb an "burn" as the noon. A
dout this is juist ae mair thing aboot neologisms - even if they'r claer tae
some fowk, they arna "tried an tested" aneuch tae be shuir that they can be
uized as general Scots.

> Thon vocabular o scienteific terms leuks like a guid idea ti me - is it
> easy gotten a haud o? But than the uisual thing at happens wi
> guid ideas is
> at naebodie taks nae tent o thaim!

[The following is in Scots and English]
The idea o the ISV (International Scienteific Vocabular) wis thocht on years
back bi some editor o Websters dictionar, A think, tho A hinna could finnd
ony mention o it in Websters.

Ye hae tae follae the defineition tae can say if a word qualifees. Tae pit
it in bullits (spellin suggestions for that word?):

1. the etymological ruits should come fae antiqarian langgages (e.g. Laitin,
Greek);

2. the meanin o the word should be modren an technical, no juist its
antiqarian ettle;

3. the word should be uised in its technical sense in mair nor ae modren
langgage.

Ye see that the ettle here is juist that the word as uized canna be thocht
on as a len-word fae ony ae langgage, an sae can be thocht on as
international. It haes some ither obvious advantages, e.g. a English or
French technical dictionar could be uized tae finnd the exact meanin o thae
words athoot the words hivin tae a wun intae ony form o Scots dictionar; ye
could write a technical paper in Scots an fair expect a international
readership; &c &c.


[English]

The idea of the ISV (International Scientific Vocabulary) was thought up
years ago by some editor of Websters dictionary, I think, though I haven't
been able to find any mention of it in Websters.

You have to follow the definition to decide whether a word qualifies. To put
it into bullet form:

1. the etymology should be derived from antiquarian languages (e.g. Latin,
Greek);

2. the word should be used in a modern technical sense, not simply with its
antiquarian meaning;

3. the word should be used in its technical sense in more than one modern
language.

You see that the aim here is that the word as used can't be thought of as a
loan-word from any particular language, an so can be seen as international.
There are some other obvious advantages, e.g. an English or French technical
dictionary could be used to look up the exact meaning of those words without
the words having to have made it into any dictionary of the minor language
you write in; you could write a technical paper in your own language an
reasonably expect an international readership; &c &c.

Sandy Fleiman
http:\\www.fleimin.demon.co.uk

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