LINGUIST List 5.816

Mon 18 Jul 1994

Qs: Syllables, Graduate programs, MUDs, UQAM, Caribs

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

1. Angus Grieve-Smith, Q: Possible syllables
2. , Message for the NET
3. Margaret E Sokolik, Seeking info. on language-related MUDs, MOOs, etc.
4. Peter Patrick, help reaching linguists at UQAM
5. Fran Karttunen, Carib and the Northmen

 Can anyone give me a reference, or even some figures, on the
number of possible syllables for various languages? I'm looking at
the Khoisan language !Xoo, and by a very back-of-the-envelope
calculation which I'm sure leaves out a lot of constraints, I came up
with something like 60,000 possible syllables, including tones.

 For comparison, I'd like to have figures for other types of
languages. By a similarly offhand calculation, I figure that Hawaiian
has about 40 syllables max, and Quechua about 648. Mandarin would
probably have about 30,000 including tones. I'd like to get figures
for at least English, a Romance language, a Semitic language, a
Northwest Caucasian language and Nama, a related Khoi (Hottentot)
language.

 Please reply directly to me, and I will summarize for the
list.

--
 -Angus B. Grieve-Smith
 grvsmthuchicago.edu

I would like to post the following message for a student of mine who is interes
ted in some information about graduate school programs: I am a senior English m
ajor seeking a graduate school that offers an MA in English literature with an
opportunity to study the Gaelic language and Old Irish literature in addition t
o regular coursework in British literature. Any information - name of instituti
on, name of specific contacts, etc.... - would be greatly appreciated. Sam Stil
l, The University of Mississippi. Thanks in advance for your help. Donald L. Dy
er, Russian and Linguistics, The University of Mississippi (Department of Moder
n Languages), University, MS 38677; telephone: 602-232-7298; fax: 601-232-7033;
 Internet: MLDYERVM.CC.OLEMISS.EDU

TESL-EJ, a fully refereed journal for English as a Second Language and
language acquisition is seeking information describing language-related
cyberspace on the Internet. If you have a MUD, MOO, WWW pages, gopherspace,
or other archived information relevant to language education, and a
well-written description of what is contained in it, please contact me.

For example, in our first issue, we featured an article describing Project
Gutenberg, with information on access. In our upcoming issue, we will
publish a description of pedagogically-oriented (Microsoft) files that
integrate voice recording.

Please contact me directly.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Maggi Sokolik, Editor
TESL-EJ
msokolikuclink.berkeley.edu
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

I'm trying to reach Claire Lefebvre and John Lumsden, creolists with former
addresses at "uqam.bitnet". I've been repeatedly unable to get through, and
have received messages saying such a node is unknown. But the Linguist
nameserver and other sources I've tried list only this address for them, and
appeals to other groups have not produced working addresses.
 Can anyone help me to reach Claire and John by email?
 mEnI tangks,
 --plp--

Could fellow linguists guide me to solid references on the following
two topics (which have proven remarkably hard to track down):

1. The Caribs and "men's" and "women's" language. (I have the original
1664 reference, but I'm looking for publications with competing
explanations.

2. The quick switch from Danish to French accomplished by the
Northmen/Normans. (I once used a segment from the Primary Russian
Chronicle, as I recall, but how about a linguist or philologist
writing about it?)

Many thanks,

Frances Karttunen