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Re: "Re-formed" Latin-script writing

From:Jonathan Chang <zhang2323@...>
Date:Monday, May 8, 2000, 2:15
>> Yep yep... very true in any language with a long literary history. >> BUT in the case of emerging pidgins or "Nashun-Langwajz" (& certain
artlangs
>> with radical neo-Futurist aesthetics & tendencies), "Latin-script minimal" >> semi-fonetik pidjin-spelin iz purhapz dezirubul. >> >> zHANg
In a message dated 2000/05/08 12:19:12 AM, Nicole wrote in response to me:
> >Yes, this is true because you would want the writing system to be simple >in a pidgin, but you cannot possibly (as Douglas Koller stated earlier) >map more than 26 phonemes to 26 letters without using diacritics and/or >digraphs, etc. Furthermore, most languages spoken over a broad area in >physical space have multiple dialects which are pronounced differently. >Does each dialect have its own spelling, making it an effectively >separate language? Not to mention the fact that over time changes would >constantly occur, and some stable writing system would have to be used. >In another post you talk about how a pidgin would develop into a stable >creole, but what language is stable? English? Hardly, and it can't be >called a brand-new language. And with a language like English, what >phonetic standard would be used? American, Canadian, English, Irish, >Scottish, Australian, etc? Even isolated in America: Northeastern, >Southern, New Yorker, Midwestern, etc? We've had tons of discussions >regarding phonetic spelling for English on the list in the past, and >during the last one several people made up phonetic schemes , and each >was completely different because each person speaks differently. One >persons phonetic spelling would be, to the next person, just as >convoluted as traditional English spelling. > >Nicole
Also true that languages change. I am no authoritarianistic conlanger & like the idea of the idea of a language being more or less "flexible." Take for example Chinese: Chinese has a standard written form that has united many Chinese "dialects" (many which are actually ancient tribal languages as "different" as German is from French, etc.). I think written Standard English (if there is such a thing) is in a comparable position. It's interesting how 3rd World nations like India, Jamica, & Singapore have their own "individualistic Englishes." [ Hinglish - from India- has influenced some of my English due to the fact that my father is from SouthEast Asia & we Changs not only have Indian friends, but relatives]. Then there is, of course, the English-based Pidgins... which are IMHO "mutant Englishes"... & are practically "foreign languages" in their own right (with their right to maintain that "autonomy") [ Mutating English seems to be a good approach for an English-speaking "beginner conlanger." ] mutatis mutandi, baby... zHANg