Newsgroups: sci.lang
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!spool.mu.edu!torn!nott!cunews!freenet.carleton.ca!FreeNet.Carleton.CA!ac355
From: ac355@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (David Solly)
Subject: Language and Linguistics in S/F
Message-ID: <Czxr7t.87C@freenet.carleton.ca>
Sender: ac355@freenet3.carleton.ca (David Solly)
Reply-To: ac355@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (David Solly)
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet
Date: Sun, 27 Nov 1994 16:59:53 GMT
Lines: 54


     I am putting together a bibliographic database of alien 
and artificial languages as they appear in science fiction 
films and literature.  (I am interested in all media but for 
the sake of keeping peace with the moderator please keep to 
the subject area of the current conference or send me 
private mail).  This is part of an ongoing project which I 
started early in 1991.
 
     I am also trying to adhere to the following criteria:
 
          a)   There must be at least one complete sentence, 
               either spoken or written, in the (alien) 
               language, and
 
          b)   The language that the author/creator has 
               created must have the feel of a real 
               language.  That is, there must be evidence of 
               some kind of grammar and syntax.  Examples of 
               aliens saying "Booga, booga we kill'um 
               spaceman," or "languages" created by running 
               a recording of a conversation in a known 
               language in reverse or by other such sound 
               effects tricks are not acceptable for this 
               database.
 
   And/or in addition to the above,
 
          c)   There must be a serious discussion throughout 
               the work in which the main characters are 
               trying to resolve some language or linguistic 
               problem.
 
     At the moment my database contains very little in the 
way of short stories or anything that has been published as 
part of an anthology or in periodicals.  Any help in this 
area would be welcome.
 
     Unfortunately, the latest version of my database is not available on
a ftp site, however, it is available on FidoNet at Bit Byters, Ottawa
(1:163/215) and Brian and Wendy's, Ottawa (1:163/598).  The name of the
file is:  SF_LNG.ARJ and is dated Nov. 1994.  It should also be freq-able
from the same locations under the name SFLANG.  Use and enjoy. 
 
David Solly
Bibliotheca Sagittarii, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
ac355@FreeNet.Carleton.CA
 
 

--
David Solly                  ac355@freenet.carleton.ca
Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA      FidoNet:  1:163/215
Voice: (613)731-2120
