Re: A DISTURBING proposal! (was Re: Personal langs and converse ofaux)

On Wed, 7 Feb 2001, Lars Henrik Mathiesen wrote:

> > From: "SMITH,MARCUS ANTHONY" <smithma@...>
>
> > I would add another reason this experiment is doomed to failure. I find it
> > highly improbable that the conlang will be developed to a high enough
> > degree to allow for casual, constant conversation. And even if it does get
> > to that point, the experiment would require that all members of the
> > household speak the conlang, otherwise it is unlikely that the children
> > will pick up on much of it. Only a single person using the language will
> > not be using it naturally, eg, asking and answering questions, using words
> > other than very basic ones, etc.
> I don't know. There was the recent case of the guy who tried to teach
> his son Klingon by speaking it to him exclusively. AFAIR, the kid
> learned a fair amount, but when he was four or five he cottoned on to
> the fact that no other kids in the world spoke the language --- so he
> told his father that he didn't want to play along any more.
Agreed.  I only had 1.5 people in the household speaking Korean at some
points--Mom always, Dad speaking to Mom.  OTOH our mom did most of the
childrearing, so I gues s personal contact might have to do with it.

Eh, hope for sibs and let them come up with their own conlang.  =^)

YHL