LINGUIST List 9.380

Sat Mar 14 1998

FYI: Korean List,Left/Right Asym,Richard Mather Lect

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


Directory

  • David J. Silva, Korean Linguistics Mailing List
  • bingfu, An Anecdote of Left-Right Asymmetries
  • David Prager Branner, Dante & the Vernaculars: Chinese & Western (Mpls)

    Message 1: Korean Linguistics Mailing List

    Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 12:10:50 -0600
    From: David J. Silva <davidling.uta.edu>
    Subject: Korean Linguistics Mailing List


    The International Circle of Korean Linguists (ICKL) is currently in the process of reorganizing its mailing lists and developing internet-based means of disseminating information about itself and other topics related to Korean Linguistics. If you would like to be included on ICKL's preliminary mailing lists (electronic and snail-mail), please contact me at davidling.uta.edu.

    In the subject line please type "send ICKL info". I will then forward an ICKL "E-Update", which includes additional information.

    NOTE: Past/Current members of ICKL should request an "E-Update" so that they may UPDATE their current membership information.

    - David J. Silva (davidling.uta.edu) Asst. Professor of Linguistics The University of Texas at Arlington

    Message 2: An Anecdote of Left-Right Asymmetries

    Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 10:04:26 -0800 (PST)
    From: bingfu <bingfuscf-fs.usc.edu>
    Subject: An Anecdote of Left-Right Asymmetries


    Here is an anecdote about left-right asymmetries.

    Recently, in the net list of Chinese linguistic/teaching discussion chinesekenyon.edu, there have been a discussion about the relation between 'left' and 'sinister', and 'right' and 'correct'. It reminds me of something. Many years ago, I read a book by an anthropologist, telling that in a certain language the verb infection partly depends on whether the action is carried out by the left or right hands. Did anybody in this net list read the same story?

    Then, how about when the speaker is not sure about which hand performs the action? He has to use some marked, cumbersome substitute forms, like 'I was hit (by a unknown hand)' or 'I suffered/received a hit'. It is not totally surprising, since in many languages the verb inflection relates to the gender, or social status of the actor.

    Speakers of some languages like Chinese may feel lucky in this respect, since they don't need to care about the sex, status etc. of the actor (which are irrelevant to the communicational purpose in most of cases) whenever they use a finite verb. Bingfu Lu USC

    Message 3: Dante & the Vernaculars: Chinese & Western (Mpls)

    Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 07:35:35 -0800 (PST)
    From: David Prager Branner <yrsnetcom.com>
    Subject: Dante & the Vernaculars: Chinese & Western (Mpls)


    East Asian Languages, Literatures & Linguistics of the Institute of Linguistics and Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures, University of Minnesota

    presents

    *** The Fourth Richard B. Mather Lecture ***

    Prof. Glen Dudbridge (Oxford University) speaking on

    Dante & the Vernaculars: Chinese & Western

    Thursday, 16 April, 1998 3:30-5:00 pm Coffman Union (Theatre) University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (East Bank)

    The lecture is free and open to the public.

    For more information, please contact our Department secretary at (612)-624-3331