tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jan 22 11:36:40 1996
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Re 2: "Native Speakers"
On 22 Jan 96 at 8:11, Garrett Michael Hayes wrote:
> > I wrote:
[pe']
> > it was
> > discovered that the young child used correct grammar etc., while
> > his parents continued to use their own variation. Will we see the
> > same sort of pattern with children that learn this language?
>
> *Very* interesting. I would be fascinated to know what other
> influences on the child's language learning have been identified. I
> would suspect the child *had* to have been learning from other
> sources which did use correct grammar. Perhaps other relatives?
I have only just begun this class, but what the instructor is trying to
teach us is that somehow children know the inherent rules of human
linguistics and then simply use the first language(s)
they are exposed to. This means
that they won't break the natural laws of linguistics; though they
may break those of their first language (i.e. saying "are we to the
library going?", a sentance which follows German grammar instead of
English). So, as for your question about other family members or
other sources such as books having influenced his learning; I don't
know. It wasn't mentioned in class, so I assumed there hadn't been
any other influences on the child. I would imagine some of the more
learned linguists on the list may have some knowledge of this case.
As another example the teacher mentioned how a Pidgin becomes a
Creole via children born into a family where the Pidgin language is
spoken. They will create a grammar for their new language, thereby
making it a Creole. I'm afraid to say too much more since I am only a
beginning student. I'm afraid someone out there is cringing while
they read this.
But my point is, if a child is brought up with exposure to the
Hol I would imagine they would have a good grasp on what Krankor
calls "the look and feel" of the language. tuQochbe''a'?
>
> 'etlhqengwI'
maSqa'
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"Had I not known that I was dead already,
I would have mourned the loss of my life"
-Ota Dokan, Japanese poet
(written while a knife protruded from his chest)
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