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From: elna@netcom.com (Esperanto League N America)
Subject: Re: Steven Pinker
Message-ID: <elnaE6yG5I.D8@netcom.com>
Organization: Esperanto League for North America, Inc.
References: <853605030.2652@dejanews.com> <3 <AF3E13B29668CDB1E@max1-45. <rte-0603971923090001@135.25.40.118>
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 00:03:17 GMT
Lines: 50
Sender: elna@netcom23.netcom.com

rte@elmo.lz.att.com (Ralph T. Edwards) writes in a recent posting (reference <rte-0603971923090001@135.25.40.118>):
>In article <3325353d.7145905@news.mindspring.com>, dgary@mindspring.com (D
>Gary Grady) wrote:
>                      [re: artificial languages]   
>> If they are so
>> different, what is Pinker doing issuing pronouncements about them? (I
>> gather you and I would at least agree that on this subject Pinker
>> seems to be rather out of his depth.
>> 
>
>I would agree that he probably doesn't care much about constructed
>languages, for the reasons I've already stated.  I fail to see why he
>should.
>
If Pinker is investigating the "Language Instinct" I would think he
might show some interest in the recent (last few centuries) spate of
language planning projects. I doubt that research into cities would be
considered complete if it ignored planned cities, or similarly a book
about genetics would be remiss to ignore artificial selection, even
if the treatises were called "The Urban Instinct" and "Instinctive
Breeding".  Since there have been hundreds of published artificial
languages (and doubtless hundreds of others in anonymous obscurity), it
seems IMO to reflect an obvious aspect of the very "instinct" he is 
investigating!


>> And in any case, an author who offers nothing more substantial than a
>> vacuous put-down in support of his position is at best preaching to
>> the choir. I've no particular objection to that in casual
>> communication, but it seems less than one would expect in a supposedly
>> informed book on a subject.
>
>That's because you are a true believer.  There aren't many of you.  Most
>people just don't care, and most linguists just don't care.
>
>> 
>> 
>> D Gary Grady
>> Durham NC USA
>> 73513.2350@compuserve.com / dgary@mindspring.com
>
>-- 
>R.T.Edwards rte@elmo.lz.att.com 908 576-3031


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