LINGUIST List 14.389

Fri Feb 7 2003

Qs: Grammatica Anglicana, Script Introduction

Editor for this issue: Renee Galvis <reneelinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Victorina Gonzalez-Diaz, Greaves' (1594) Grammatica Anglicana
2. Peter Unseth, introduction of scripts

Dear linguists

In the introduction to his Grammar (1594), Greaves complains about the
corruption that English undergoes at the time, especially criticising
the improper use that renowned authors make of the vernacular. He
illustrates this incorrect use of English with the following two
sentences:

More better, such works was finished. 
He spake it to shee whose fountaines is dried up.

Presumably, these are quotations, though it would also be possible
that Greaves either manipulated them, or even made them up.

My question, then, is the following: Does anyone recognise the
sentences reproduced above as coming from the work of any eModE
writer? If you do, please reply directly to my e-mail address.

Thank you very much. 

Subject-Language: English; Code: ENG 

In studying how writing systems have been introduced to various
languages, I have two questions for which I would appreciate help:

Have there been any cases where one group prevented another from
adopting its script?

What cases are there where an outsider has helped a group develop its
own unique script? I know of only Cyrillic (St. Cyril and Methodius),
Cree (Evans), Miao (Pollard), Komi (St. Nicholas of Perm), and
possibly Micmac.

Thanks! I will post a summary if responses warrant it.

Pete Unseth
Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics