Balti scripts

[Gail M Coelho]

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Could you give us more info about where we can get a look at the
dissertation -- which university. I'm interested in the writing system
issue to, but from a language-describer's perspective. I've worked out an
orthgraphy for Betta Kurumba, a Dravidian language. Btw, there's an example
of synchronic variation in script that goes with intranational state
borders, too (also including religion-based communities) -- Konkani is
written in Devnagari and Roman script in Maharashtra state in India, and
Kannada and Roman script in Karnataka state.

Gail

At 02:21 AM 4/9/03, James Ward wrote:

>Dear Greg,
>
>Do please forward any information you are able to send.  I would be very
>interested to read it -- a comparative perspective will be very
>helpful.  Thanks!
>
>James
>
>
>On Tuesday, April 8, 2003, at 12:14  AM, Greg Cooper wrote:
>
>>Dear James,
>>
>>Just a postscript in response to your reply: I've just submitted a PhD
>>thesis on issues in the development of a writing system for another
>>minority language in Pakistan (Kalasha). One of my chapters looks
>>specifically at the whole topic of alternative writing systems for
>>minority languages across that region of the world (Central and South
>>Asia). There are many examples of the employment of different
>>(sometimes up to three or four) scripts for particular minority
>>languages. Sometimes it is synchronic variation, depending on the
>>countries in which various pockets of each language community happen to
>>reside, and sometimes it is diachronic variation, depending on various
>>social, political, religious and phonological factors, all of which I
>>have discussed in the chapter. Sometimes both categories of variation
>>come into play. If you would like more details, I can forward them to
>>you.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Greg Cooper.