Re: POLITICS <G>: Trolls!

--- In conlang@y..., Tim May <butsuri@B...> wrote:

[Navajo Codetalkers]

> I'm not aware of any abuse, from what I've read of the subject (well,
> a couple of code-talkers were briefly captured by Americans who
> thought they were Japanese).  Any more information would be
> interesting.
To me too, I hardly know anything about them.  I was simply looking
for possible sources for Ms Gunn's supposed animosity against the project.



> Incidentally, regardless of the treatment of the Navajo, I don't see
> that it's particularly relevant to citizen Gunn's criticisms of
> conlanging.  Navajo isn't a conlang*.
The following webpage indicates that they didn't just speak Navajo
over the field phones, they seem to have used a letter-by-letter
code plus a number of fixed code words, which could in the widest
sense pass as a conlang...

http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/dcr/Special%20Emphasis/Indian/CodeTalkers_bio.htm

(Delete the line break in that URL...)

Interestingly, one of the personalities presented on that same
site is called "Paula Gunn Allen".  Coincidence?  Probably.

http://www.r6.fws.gov/dcr/Special%20Emphasis/Indian/Allen_Bio.htm



-- Christian Thalmann

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