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Re: Classical languages: was: Re: Gothic language

From:Boudewijn Rempt <bsarempt@...>
Date:Sunday, September 5, 1999, 7:17
On Sat, 4 Sep 1999, Nik Taylor wrote:

> Boudewijn Rempt wrote: > > I've objected before to the tendency of classifying all classical > > languages as 'conlangs' - even though prescriptive grammars abounded, > > and some even had a measure of authority, not even Panini could arrest > > the development of Sanskrit. > > Well, I'd say that Classical Latin, etc., as well as even Standard > English, are "condialects", certainly perfectly natural developments > mixed with artificial introductions. >
I agree with you to some measure - I don't think introducing artificial elements counts as constructing, since everyone who plays with language, and everyone appear to do, introduces a measure of artificiality, but those artificial elements can become part of the natural evolution of a language. Boudewijn Rempt | http://denden.conlang.org/~bsarempt