Re: Changing CXS (Was: Re: Representing tones in X-Sampa; Khmer phonemes (for Tim May))

On 28 Jan 2004 at 10:14, Tristan McLeay wrote:

> On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, Andreas Johansson wrote:
>
> > Quoting Tristan McLeay <zsau@...>:
> >
> > > Given all the problems with /a_2/-for-diphthong, I think it almost
> > > make more sense to remove it as an option in CXS.
> >
> > I rather agree.
>
> I don't like changing the standard once it's been made
Feh. A standard is only immutable once it's accepted and in regular
use, and has stopped naturally fluctuating. Up until that point it's
just a plaything.

Given the very nature of the minds of this group, I suspect the
"settling in" period prior to a cry of "Right, that's it, it's
perfect enough for now" is liable to be fairly long. That's not to
say there should not be at least one person recording the current
state of flux (or best guess thereof), but it ís to say that person
should in no way be thought of as the keeper of the standard, except
perhaps jocularly.

Version numbers would help, until the first schism, at which point,
one branch or the other ought to change its name. Deciding which, of
course, is a matter for much heated debate, whenever it occurs.
Perhaps both branches ought to rename themselves, and allow memetic
evolution to eventually decide which continues to wear the title.





Paul

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