Re: Burushaski

Taliesin wrote:
> Here's a little discussion about (real life natlang) Burushaski
>
> http://www.languagehat.com/archives/002754.php
>
> and a pdf with a mini-grammar
>
> http://www.few.vu.nl/~dick/Summaries/Languages/Burushaski.pdf
>
> Interestingly, the grammar isn't very linguistic-y, and is as
> interesting for what it doesn't include as for what is there.
> Only 19 pages, it reminded me a lot of the archetypical
> conlang-grammar.
I would have called it the work of an earnest undergrad or early grad
student...until I checked Prof. Grune's page :-) Looks like
language/linguistics is maybe a side-interest to his computer background.

There do indeed seem to be structural resemblances to Basque (I.e. use of
the verb 'to do'), but that might just be a general feature of ergative
languages.
>
> Does anyone know anything about the author of the piece, Dick
> Grune <http://www.cs.vu.nl/~dick/> or the publisher Joseph
> Biddulph? My crackpot-sensor is tingling, you see.
Most of his refs seem legit. (I _think_ I've heard of Biddulph...) My only
question would be, is the V.U. academically respectable? It's been around
since the late 60s, no? so by now I'd guess yes :-)

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