Re: LIFO languages (was Re: "Theory informs practice" - OK?)

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008, Jörg Rhiemeier wrote:
> > Quoting Lars Finsen:
> > Does anyone ever use those registers of German in real-time
> >  conversation, however?
> 
> Not much at least. Complicated nested sentences are a matter of
> written language almost exclusively, and spoken German avoids
> such hairy constructions. Nobody ever *speaks* sentences like:
> 
> Wer denjenigen, der den Wegweiser, der an der Brücke, die über
> den Bach, der von Ahausen nach Bettelheim fließt, führt, steht,
> umgeworfen hat, anzeigt, erhält 500 Mark Belohnung.
It's the kind of thing one might almost expect to be written (in very 
small writing) on the signpost itself ...

In English, approximately:
    Whosoever reports whomever has upset the signpost, which 
    stands at the bridge, which leads over the brook which flows 
    from Ahausen to Bettelheim, [shall] receive a reward of 500 DM.

And it _exactly_ the kind of thing my peers me, their professors 
in Germany when lectures giving, do would, told - only very much 
tamer, is.  Indeed, the best "performances" by these Old Masters 
of the stacked verb, their audiences on the edges of their seats, 
in awful suspense for upwards of *half an hour* whilst for the final 
cascade of verbs, which finally of the many hundreds of words 
that them preceded, sense make would, waiting, riveted, sitting, 
have would.  That, not a bad feat for a university lecturer, whose 
students else, just for the opportunity at the end of the lecture to 
leave, waiting, to doze off be likely would, is!  The relief of that last 
word hearing and all the pieces together slotting, just imagine ...

Maybe they did it to strengthen their students' memories?  Or to 
show off?  Or (like the programmer in the old joke) "just because 
they could"?

Oh, all right, I'll cop it sweet - I *was* that programmer.


Regards,
Yahya

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Yahya Abdal-Aziz

Convener, Graphics SIG
Convener, Music SIG
Melbourne PC User Group (MelbPC)

Share my music, paintings, equation art, and thoughts on books, online at eSnips:
http://www.eSnips.com/user/Yahya

Enjoy learning about Uiama, a conlang (constucted language) at: 
http://conlang.pbwiki.com/Uiama

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