Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: Language naming (again)

From:Sheets, Jeff <jsheets@...>
Date:Wednesday, January 27, 1999, 14:38
> Hi all! > > I couldn't find the old thread about this, and I just wanted to add one > thing, so I'll just start a new one. > > I just read (in "The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language" which y'all > probably already have read, but anyway) that many Australian aboriginal > languages are named "this" in their respective languages. Like: "What > language do you speak?" "This." (Examples: Dhuwal, Dhay'yi, Nhangu) > > This has been mentioned before, but what the hey. It's just so funny that > I have to bring it up again. The names of other tribes' langs are often > called things like "enemy" (Tapuya), "people" (Carib) and "forest tribes" > (Macu). > Although my favourite is "chichimecatl" (lang name "Chichimeca") which > means "lineage of dogs" :D > > Well, that's all. > > / Daniel Andreasson > > PS. My uni (Stockholm) doesn't have "Describing Morphosyntax" and they > won't order it either. :~( >
You've just made me almost want some aboriginals in my conworld. :) Is this language naming unique to Australian Aboriginals? Anybody know?