Re: Germans have no /w/, Marking of Resonants, racist use of RL languages in Star Wars movies

From: "Emily Zilch" <emily0@...>

> In fact, I believe one of the languages in question was used in Star
> Wars for the language of the Ewok. I remember learning - to my disgust
> - that they just stole the languages of 'appropriate' "primitives" to
> create a realistic feeling for the movies. Sandpeople, anyone? & then
> they just made it offensive to EVERYONE with Jar-Jar Binks. I believe
> that he speaks Eastern Maroon Creole or perhaps a closely related
> dialect - I'm not a student but I've had some exposure plus the reports
> to go on - and he matches in stereotype in appearance & idiot behaviour
> the worst Americans have shown about blacks - ever see any of those old
> Bugs Bunny episodes with the "darkie" tripping over his own lips? Ugh.
> I see that in my head every time he comes on screen.
You would disapprove of my Ogres and their 'global creole/pidgin', which was
given to them by human outsiders since they were never blessed with their
own language. (Ogres are genetically modified humans, with great strength
but weak minds, bred for slave labor and melee combat. They're directly
inspired by Tolkien's Orcs and Uruk-hai, and Ogre in the Ogre language is
ULUKU, from Latin _orcus_.) I intended this to be politically incorrect, and
I'm sure a lot of people will be offended, but the message is clearly
anti-racism, and the view of these humanoids is highly sympathetic. The
first chapter is on a battle between Ogres and humans, but later in the
story, the human protagonist befriends his former enemy, the leader of the
Ogre clan he fought in the beginning (they turn out to have a common enemy
that's even greater). They will be shown to have a lot of heart, even if
they don't have a lot of brain.

I don't know what the deal is with Jar-Jar though. I watched Star Wars Ep. 1
once and didn't really pay attention. Maybe he was supposed to be comic
relief, but he didn't do a good job at it. I much prefer the donkey from
Shrek, played by the voice of Eddie Murphy.

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