Re: The Language Code, take 2 (or 3)

On Friday, June 13, 2003, at 06:06  AM, BP Jonsson wrote:

> I haven't followed the thread, but I'm somewhat
> concerned about the term "natural".  IMHO a
> conlang can be constructed so as to be natural
> or abnatural, depending on whether it mimics the
> properties of attested ethnic non-conlangs --
> aka language universals -- or not.  So rather
> than a conlang--natlang dicotomy I would prefer
> a conlang--ethnic lang dicotomy, or perhaps even
> a +|-constructed property, since a conlang may
> be ethnic or non-ethnic in a concultural sense.
In the past, some have argued that languages like Bahasa Indonesia
could be considered constructed since there are planned elements to it.
Some have gone further to imply that all languages really lie on a
single continuum with respect to this property. Take for example
Esperanto as lying on the fully planned (= constructed) end of this
continuum, and some arbitrary minority language as lying on the other
end. I use the example of a minority language since such a language is
far less likely to be subject to conscious planning efforts; for the
sake of the discussion, let's use Chemehuevi, since I happen to know
that this is true for this language. This is represented visually below:

Esperanto -------------------------------------------------------
Chemehuevi

Now, while it is clear that elements of Bahasa Indonesia have been
planned, it would still lie closer to the Chemehuevi end than to the
Esperanto end. Now consider a language like Interlingua, which has
preserved Romance verbal conjugation classes and much of the
phonological irregularity which comes with them. It clearly lies closer
to the Esperanto end of the continuum, even if it isn't at the endpoint.

Esperanto -- Interlingua -------------------------------- B.I. --
Chemehuevi

My question is whether there is an attested language which lies more or
less in the middle; that is, a language which is "halfway" between
planning and natural growth.

Esperanto -- Interlingua ------------- ? ---------------- B.I. --
Chemehuevi

I'm asserting that such a language does not exist; all languages will
cluster at one end or the other. That being the case, the continuum
really isn't one, and the dichotomy between constructed and
natural/ethnic is a real one.

Any takers?

Dirk
--
Dirk Elzinga
Dirk_Elzinga@byu.edu

"I believe that phonology is superior to music. It is more variable and
its pecuniary possibilities are far greater." - Erik Satie

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