A Metaphorical Suggestion and meeting times.

[Rankin, Robert L]

>... restating the proximate/obviative distinction in terms of
on-stage/off-stage.

I guess that, to me, that's what proximate/obviative IS basically.  It's
also been described as "central/peripheral" by Heather Hardy for Muskogean,
where more than one reference is also possible in both categories, but I
suspect she may just not have been familiar with the established
"proximate/obviative" categories. I see no point in reinventing the
terminological wheel; it seems to me that it's better to take the best the
past has to offer and try to add something modest to it.  We'll all be lucky
if we can just accomplish that much. I guess this means I'll never be a very
good discourse analyst.

While it would be nice to be able to explain everything in the text
collection, I think this is precisely the kind of problem that can best be
approached by working with speakers (who can at least try to explain what
they are thinking when using one or the other particle).  THEN see if the
texts can be rationalized in that light.

As for the Summer meeting in 2003, I'm pretty flexible as far as I know. I
must say that I tend to prefer meeting somewhere in Siouan-speaking
territory, but the Institute will work as long as they don't want a lot of
rent money from us for meeting space.

Bob