Re: CHAT: oldest known records of vernacular languages [was Re:

Thomas R. Wier scripsit:

> Perhaps I have not been clear.  My purpose in using the word
> "vernacular" was in contradistinction to "classical", i.e.,
> learned languages after the fall of Rome.  Of course Greek
> constitutes a much older tradition, since Ancient Greek
> orthography still influences modern Greek Dimotiki, and of
> course, Chinese beats even that.  But this wasn't my question.
Well, fair enough for Chinese, but I think that Greek writing can
soundly be called vernacular in Greece (including the Byzantine Empire),
though it was "classical" elsewhere.

Vernacular Chinese writing (bai2hua4) probably starts around the 13th
century, IIRC, although it didn't really take off until the beginning
of the 20th.

--
John Cowan <jcowan@...>     http://www.reutershealth.com
I amar prestar aen, han mathon ne nen,    http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
han mathon ne chae, a han noston ne 'wilith.  --Galadriel, _LOTR:FOTR_

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