Re: New to the list

Welcome, Israel

Jim Henry wrote:
> On 5/17/06, David J. Peterson <dedalvs@...> wrote:
[snip]

>> Incidentally, when we did that survey, what was the percentage
>> of female conlangers on the list?  I remember it was much higher
>> than expected.  I suppose it was also surprising that everyone on
>> the list turned out to be at least part Lithuanian, but, well, who
>> isn't at least part Lithuanian nowadays...?
>
>
> I think the "Lithuanian" bit was added as a joke
> in mid-2002,
You mean the rest was serious!!   ;)
===============================

Herman Miller wrote:
[snip]
 > I know this goes way back, but I don't have my old email archives from
 > then. A quick google on +conlang +goatee reveals a few relevant links
 > including
 >
 > http://home.ccil.org/~cowan/conlang/con9701
 >
 > from 1997. From the looks of it, this could be where the whole
 > "left-handed gay conlanger with goatee" thing started. The thread spun
 > off into a discussion of hair-related words in conlangs, among other
 > things. Was it really that long ago?

Yep - it was; and I was around at the time. I have no recollection of
any serious survey being done. IIRC the "left-handed gay with a goatee"
sort of emerged out of one (or more) of the chat threads that are
typical of the list. I am not aware that anyone took the 'stereotype'
seriously in those far off days. I think, tho I am not entirely certain,
that it was agreed that the 'goatee' part was optional for female
conlangers    ;)

For a short time 'Catholic' was added to the description - presumably
thinking of famous conlangers like Hildegard of Bingen, Fr Schleyer (the
Volapük guy) and J.R.R. Tolkien. But - and I have no wish to be
controversial - it didn't sit comfortably with the list of epithets and
has now given way to Lithuanian.

(Thinks: Do we have any Lithuanian members?)

As for me, I may be crazy - but conform to none of the current
stereotype epithets since I am right-handed, straight, clean-shaven and
non-Lithuanian (but I am 1/8th Pomeranian - guess that doesn't count tho)

Ray
==================================
ray@carolandray.plus.com
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
==================================
"A mind which thinks at its own expense will always
interfere with language."         J.G. Hamann, 1760

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