LINGUIST List 6.1100

Mon Aug 14 1995

Disc: Uniformitarianism, Re: 1086; Sex/Lang

Editor for this issue: T. Daniel Seely <dseelyemunix.emich.edu>

Directory

1. Richard Hudson, Uniformitarianism
2. Richard Hudson, sexism

Alex missed the main linguistics reference on uniformitarianism: Bill
Labov's many discussions of language change. E.g. There's a section of `The
social setting of linguistic change' called `The study of sound change in
progress: the Uniformitarian Principle', reprinted in "Sociolinguistic
Patterns" (1972, Blackwell), p. 274ff. Also numerous references, especially
pp 21-3, in his recent "Principles of Linguistic Change" (1994, Blackwell).
 ===========================================================================
Prof Richard Hudson Tel: +44 171 387 7050 ext 3152
 E-mail: r.hudsonling.ucl.ac.uk
Dept. of Phonetics and Linguistics Tel: +44 171 380 7172
 Fax: +44 171 383 4108
UCL
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
UK

Just to broaden out the discussion a little, may I report an interesting
fact that seemed to emerge from a discussion on another list. It concerns
naming practices in some parts (or is it by some people?) in the USA:
parents call their sons `son' but not their daughters `daughter'. (E.g.
"Come here son/*daughter, I have something to tell you!") What's interesting
about this is (a) the different treatment of the sexes and (b) the fact that
sons are treated like senior relatives, since the normal pattern for junior
relatives is to use the given name, while role-based names are normal for
senior relatives. I don't think this practice is at all widespread in UK.
 ===========================================================================
Prof Richard Hudson Tel: +44 171 387 7050 ext 3152
 E-mail: r.hudsonling.ucl.ac.uk
Dept. of Phonetics and Linguistics Tel: +44 171 380 7172
 Fax: +44 171 383 4108
UCL
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
UK