LINGUIST List 8.1471

Sun Oct 12 1997

Qs: Deaf Issues,Mexican Lang,English/Japan

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



We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

Directory

  • hthumann, Children of deaf adults
  • Sarah G. Thomason, query: 2 Mexican languages, #1 borrows, #2 doesn't
  • QZI07607niftyserve.or.jp>, Question: English Signs in Japan

    Message 1: Children of deaf adults

     Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 17:28:41 -0700
    From: hthumann <hthumannuclink4.berkeley.edu>
    Subject: Children of deaf adults


    I am a doctoral student at San Francisco State University. I am doing a literature reveiw on information related to language development of hearing children with deaf parents. If you have specific information related to this topic that you feel may be helpful, please contact me.

    I am specifically interested in how language development in children with deaf parents varies from that of hearing children with hearing parents. I do have a copy of the National Information Center on Deafness bibiliography from 1996 on this topic, but am looking for things that may have been published since that bibliography came out or that are not on that bibliography.

    Thanks Helen

    Message 2: query: 2 Mexican languages, #1 borrows, #2 doesn't

     Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 10:45:31 -0400
    From: Sarah G. Thomason <sallyisp.pitt.edu>
    Subject: query: 2 Mexican languages, #1 borrows, #2 doesn't


    I hope someone with a better memory than mine can fill in the details for this example. I am reasonably sure that I saw the case described in print, but I can't remember where and can't even think where to start looking. There are, somewhere in Mexico, two Indian languages -- I *think* they are closely related or even dialects of the same language -- located at some distance from each other. One is near a new highway, and is therefore in closer contact with Spanish speakers than the other, which is spoken in a village remote from Spanish-speaking centers. The remote language has borrowed many more words from Spanish than has the language spoken near the major highway.

    Can anyone tell me what & where the languages/dialects are? And whether my recollection of the case is accurate? And maybe a reference, if I'm right about the case being in print?

    Sally Thomason sallyisp.pitt.edu

    Message 3: Question: English Signs in Japan

     Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 01:08:00 +0900
    From: QZI07607niftyserve.or.jp> <QZI07607niftyserve.or.jp>
    Subject: Question: English Signs in Japan


    I'm writing this message to ask you all for help for my research on English signs found in Japan. I'm surprised to find many signs which look/sound odd, and sometimes might potentially cause misunderstandings, to native-speakers of English. As you must have noticed already, I'm not a native speaker of English, and I'm having hard time figuring out which signs are odd or not-understandable.

    I'd like to have a lot of native responses on the following signs, which have been actually collected in Tokyo in these 3 months. The place where each sign was seen is indicated in the parenthesis following the sign. I'd appreciate it if you could give me an answer such as a) mostly fine, b) understandable, but odd, or 3) not-understandable, as well as, why it is odd and what kind of interpretation you have gotten. If you think the sign is understandable but a bit odd, what could it be the way you would write the same message in the form of a sign? I have also written specific questions below each sign.

    1. "NOTICE This desk is for pedestrians. It is prohibited to canvass, sell or distribute anything." (in front of a train station)

    If we change "pedestrians" into "passers-by", would this sign become better? Would "pedestrians" need a "desk"?

    2."Hazardous articles prohibited." (at a train station) Can "hazardous articles" also include matches, ammunition, and volatile oile, as well as knives, guns and bombs?

    3. "Please be mindful of how you hold your bag on a crowded train." (in a train) Is it common to find this kind of sign in a train in your country?

    4."ATTENTION We are sorry to inform you that due to traffic inconvenience Bus No.26 will not pass by Kaigandori during Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. In stead take Kenchodori. Traffic Bureau, City of Yokohama" (at a bus terminal)

    Is "by" necessary to indicate that the bus takes another route (Kaigandori)? "Instead, take Kenchodori" doesn't seem to mean that the bus in question is going to make stops on Ave. Kenchodori, but it rather gives me an impression that the sign is suggesting an alternative.

    5."SILVER SEAT: Please vacate this seat for elderly and handicapped persons" (in a train) Does "silver seat" mean a special seat reserved for elderly and disabled persons? I also heard that it is more appropriate to use the word "disabled" than "handicapped". Is this true? If so, could you tell me why?

    6."TO PARK VISITORS Please put litter in the provided garbage facilities. Please take care of the park's facilities and greenery. Catch, baseball, fireworks and other dangerous games are not permitted. Please be quiet between late evening and early morning. This park is for everyone who are using it. Please respect others." (in a park)

    I hope these questions were not such a bother to you. I really needed a lot of help from you. Thank you very much.

    Mami Ozeki QZI07607niftyserve.or.jp