[Tibeto-burman-linguistics] Language and ignorance (and/or politics?)

[FKLinguista .]

It's important also to remember that just because the auto-filler in the
FLEX program may be incorrect, it doesn't mean you should give up FLEX
completely. There are other useful parts of the tool. I personally dont use
the auto-filler for language names.

Tyler
On Feb 10, 2016 4:31 PM, "Chelliah, Shobhana" <Shobhana.Chelliah at unt.edu>
wrote:

> You might write to Ethnologue directly to see what their stated motivation
> is.  I know I’ve been asked in the past by the South Asia editor to submit
> corrections and suggestions.  Perhaps your expertise in all this Ladakhi
> would be well received.
>
> Shobhana
>
>
>
> *From:* Tibeto-burman-linguistics [mailto:
> tibeto-burman-linguistics-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org] *On Behalf
> Of *B. Zeisler
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 09, 2016 10:15 AM
> *To:* Tibeto-Burman Linguistics <
> tibeto-burman-linguistics at listserv.linguistlist.org>
> *Subject:* [Tibeto-burman-linguistics] Language and ignorance (and/or
> politics?)
>
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> I would like to know what you all think about this:
>
> When choosing a language/ script in Fieldworks (SIL) you get the following
> options for Ladakhi:
> Changtang Ladakhi India cna
> Ladakhi China lbj
> Ladakhi India lbj
>
> *Central Ladakhi China lbj *Central Ladakhi India lbj
>
> *Lower Ladakhi China lbj *Lower Ladakhi India lbj
>
> *Nubra Ladakhi China lbj *Nubra Ladakhi India lbj
> Upper Ladkhi India lbj
>
> The entry in the ethnologue is different, though the section "also spoken
> in" is highly misleading. Most probably it means that Ladakhi, of which one
> not further specified dialect is spoken in China (in the eastern
> Changthang), has several dialects, namely those listed, but it could
> equally well be understood that all these dialects were spoken in China:
>
> Also spoken in:
>
> Hide Details China <https://www.ethnologue.com/language/lbj>
>
> *Language name*Ladakhi
>
> *Population*
>
> 12,000 in China (1995).
>
> *Location*
>
> Western Xizang Tibet Autonomous Region.
>
> *Alternate Names*
>
> Ladak, Ladaphi, Ladhakhi, Ladwags
>
> *Dialects*
>
> Leh (Central Ladakhi), Nubra Ladakhi, Shamma (Lower Ladakhi, Sham,
> Shamskat).
>
> *Status*
>
> 6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality: Tibetan.
>
> *Writing*
>
> Tibetan script [Tibt] <http://www.scriptsource.org/scr/Tibt>.
>
> *Other Comments*
>
> Buddhist (Lamaist).
>
> View other languages of China
> <https://www.ethnologue.com/country/cn/languages>
>
>
> While one can ask the question whether the language spoken in the eastern
> part of the Changthang (in the VR China) should be called Ladakhi at all
> (what are actually the defining properties?),
> it is in no way acceptable to claim that the dialects of Nubra, Central
> and Lower Ladakh are spoken in China.
> No part of Lower Ladakh is in China (or if so this can only be bits of
> non-inhabited mountain ranges).
> As for Nubra, the Aksai Chin with the upper course of the Shayok has come
> into the hands of China, but the area is not inhabited.
> What is spoken at the Shayok river that reaches into Ladakh, e.g. in
> Shayok or Laga, is not a Nubra dialect but a Changthang dialect.
> I also wonder which parts of Central Ladakh could possibly reach into
> China, so that its dialects could be spoken there.
> (Interestingly enough the Upper Ladakhi/ Changthang dialects are assigned
> solely to India.)
>
> I would like to hear your oppinion whether such classifications are made
> out of sheer ignorance and/or what would be worse:
> this kind of ignorance and neglect or the apparent political servitude
> towards China (which in the last years gave rise to the impression that it
> wants to claim more and more parts of what is actually Indian territory)?
>
> I also wonder what kind of consequences we linguists should draw.
> Should we just laugh and shrug our shoulders?
> I, for my part, just wanted to test Fieldworks, but I am not sure whether
> I really want to go on with it.
>
> Kind regards
> Bettina Zeisler
>
>
>
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>
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