LINGUIST List 6.1324

Thu Sep 28 1995

Sum: Language and dialect

Editor for this issue: Anthony M. Aristar <aristartam2000.tamu.edu>

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1. Dag Gundersen, 6.1277 Language and dialect

On Sept. 21 I asked if anyone knows the origin of the saying "A language is
a dialect with an army and a fleet" (which seems to be the correct form,
not as I wrote, "...behind it"). My warm thanks to the following, Daniel
Seely, Patricia Kilroe (who gave a reference: Max Weinreich according to
Suzanne Romaine: Language in society (1994) p. 14), D.J.L. Watt ( George
Bernard Shaw), Benji Wald (Uriel Weinreich), Kjetil Raa Hauge, Adriano
Paolo Palma (Chomsky), Maria Carlota A.P. (Max Weinreich according to
Chomsky 1988:15). The strongest candidate must be Max Weinreich.But since
the references are secondary he may of course have been quoting Shaw.
Thank you all!
Dag