Discussion Details
| Title: | Re: 18.197 An Intelligent Man's Answer... |
| Submitter: | Alexander Gross |
| Description: | Grounding Linguistics in Two Major Modalities
Although I've been reading works on linguistics for almost sixty years, this is the first time during fifty of those years that I have once again begun to feel slightly optimistic about the future of our field. I found Alex Kravchenko's two recent contributions here most welcome, as well as recent messages pointing both to Dalrymple's article and to Codrescu's NPR interview. May I offer what may be my own latest contribution to this trend, if indeed it be one. It is something I just completed as part of a recently received commission and represents my best attempt so far to bring together and synthesize the three major passions of my life: Linguistics, Theatre, and Translation. You'll find it at: http://language.home.sprynet.com/theatdex/weiss2.htm#ling This URL should take you to the portion of the piece dealing with Linguistics, but some of you might also want to scroll backwards and see the sections on theatre and translation as well. It seems to me that linguistics today is so airy and disembodied from most real language phenomena that it can only profit from additional grounding in two such powerful and coequal linguistic modalities as translation and theatre. Further evidence for this statement can be found in the text and references of the article itself. I find it hard to imagine how some of our colleagues may be reacting to this recent spate of criticism, and I can't help wondering if some of those who are not steadfastly ignoring it may not be, after five decades in the arms of Van Winkle's Narcolepsy, coming abruptly awake and rubbing their eyes in utter disbelief, as they mutter: ''You mean, it's not just grammar after all...?'' In any case, I look forward to whatever your comments and criticisms may prove to be. All the best to linguists everywhere! alex ------------------------------ References: Andrei Codrescu: The Human Art of Translation, NPR, December 14, 2006, audible online at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6626808 Theodore Dalrymple, The Gift of Language, City Journal, Autumn, 2006, available online at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6626808 |
| Date Posted: | 22-Jan-2007 |
| Linguistic Field(s): |
Computational Linguistics
General Linguistics Translation History of Linguistics Cognitive Science |
| LL Issue: | 18.229 |
| Posted: | 22-Jan-2007 |
