LINGUIST List 9.602

Fri Apr 24 1998

Qs: Africa,Bannock,Fonts,I(dentity) and Lang

Editor for this issue: Martin Jacobsen <martylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. k.gadelii, Linguistic policies and practices in Africa
2. Cynthia Senicka, Bannock language preservation
3. petero, In Search of Macrons
4. H.G.Ruhland, I(dentity) and Language

Dear colleagues,

I am presently compiling statistics on Linguistic policies and
practices in Africa on behalf of UNESCOs Intangible Heritage Section.
The investigation concerns language rights and use in legislation,
judicial system, administration, education, business and
media. However I am lacking information in certain cases and would be
very happy to get in contact with people who are familiar with the
linguistic situation in the following countries: Angola, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi,
Mauretania, Niger, Sao Tome e Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan,
Uganda, and Zambia.

Hoping for help, best regards, Karl Erland Gadelii
<k.gadeliiwanadoo.fr>

I am looking for information on where to go to find some linguists
willing to help the elders here document the Bannock language in a
format that will be available to future generations. According to my
mother-in-law, there are only 30 or so fluent speakers of Bannock here
in Fort Hall, Idaho, all elderly. The middle-aged generation is only
partially fluent and most of the younger kids only speak English.
Since this reservation has two tribes, Shoshone and Bannock and
Shoshone being the majority, only Shoshone is taught at the school
here. About 15 to 20 years ago, someone made several reel to reel
tapes of the then elders speaking about history, place names,
language, etc. These tapes were lost. No one has been able to find
them. Only one elder is left from those tapes and he is very old. My
mother-in-law is one of the fluent speakers. She has tried to make a
vocabulary and grammer list but says it isn't ready. I think she is
kinda embarrassed about her modest attempt to write it down. The
elders need assistance with language documentation and structural
forms but don't have any money to pay anyone. So we are looking for
someone who wants to do the work for free so the language will be
available to the future generations. I discusssed this with my
mother-in-law and she agreed to let me find out what was available.

Thank you for your time.

Cindy

Dear Linguists,

I am a linguist working in the phrasebook department of Lonely Planet
Publishing in Melbourne.

I am currently editing a Japanese phrasebook and am having font
problems. In the transliteration the author has chosen to use the
vowels a,e,i,o,u with macrons above them. I am having much trouble
finding a font which has all of these vowels with macrons. If anyone
could help me I'd much appreciate it. We use AGaramond and Futura but
any help will be welcomed.

Thanks in advance,

Peter D'Onghia
Peter D'Onghia
Lonely Planet Publishing
PO Box 617, Hawthorn
Vic, 3122
Australia
peterolonelyplanet.com.au

In our research group a colleague and I work together on research that
focusses on the links between linguistics (e.g. comparative,
historical and / or generative grammar) and psychology (e.g. Social
Identity Theory by Tajfel, theories about Self and Identity). More in
detail, we focuss on linguistic representations used by a speaker, for
example, using a pronoun like I (or we), and social psychology.

Since we recently started our research, we wondered if there is any
literature that addresses the following questions:

1. Are there any languages that do not have a reference to I (or We)
or to You, using pronouns (like Dutch and English) or the inflection
of the verb (like Spanish)?

2. Does anyone out there know of literature about the relationship
between syntax or semantics and Identity / Self? In addition, is there
a one way assumption between language and identity?

Any suggestions on research are welcome.

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| |
| H.G. Ruhland |
| Grote Kruisstraat 2/I |
| 9712 TS Groningen |
| The Netherlands |
| Tel. no.: +31 50 3636336 |
| E-mail: H.G.Ruhlandppsw.rug.nl |
| |
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