It is my view that the issue of linearity (as vs. dualism and strict reliance on causality, among other things) in our language and in our thinking is one of the most important issues to be dealt with in any attempt to think about what kind of a society we would like to see at some distant future in human history.
Actually, it is not only important for the future; I don't think it is impossible that some attention might be directed to possibilities for radical change in our views of what constitutes a good education, for example. Maybe it's just wishful thinking as Ray suggests. It certainly will remain nothing but that if all those who are thinking about possibilities for a decent society simply dismiss such ideas. Again, I refer to that wonderful little book of Dorothy Lee's *Freedom and Culture* in which she has two chapters relevant to this subject-one is entitled Codifications of Reality; Lineal and Nonlineal; the other is entitled Linguistic Reflection of Wintu Thought.. The whole book is related, of course, particularly the chapters on Symbolization and Value and Being and Value in Primitive Culture. Selma ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray Evans Harrell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "futurework" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2002 11:32 AM Subject: Fw: NYTimes.com Article: Indian Languages: Tending the Flame > > > Ah, for the future of some real value work. Selma sent this to me and I > thought I would forward it to the list with this comment. David Bohm the > physicist was trying to invent a language that could admit the realities of > quantum physics. He called it Rheomode. Before he died he found an > extant language that did. It was the Algonquin of the Mic-Mac people and > he found it because of a Mic-Mac physicist who visited him in the hospital. > Do you think American physicists will study Algonquin? Dream on. > > I suspect this will be known as one of the darkest ages of history when the > knowledge of thousands of cultures was allowed to just disappear because of > the stupidity of the current civilization who just complains that their > children can't do a Latin version of grammar for the English language. > Only God knows what was contained in the language of the Etruscans. > > Oh well! > > Ray Evans Harrell > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 8:58 AM > Subject: NYTimes.com Article: Indian Languages: Tending the Flame > > > > This article from NYTimes.com > > has been sent to you by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Ray, I thought you might be interested in seeing this. > > > > Selma > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Indian Languages: Tending the Flame > > > > November 18, 2002 > > By DULCIE LEIMBACH > > > > > > > > > > > > > > NAME: Intertribal Wordpath Society, Norman, Okla. > > > > FOUNDED: In 1997, by Alice Anderton, a former Comanche > > language teacher; Margaret McKane Mauldin, a Creek language > > expert; and other Oklahomans. > > > > MISSION: To advocate the teaching and elevate the status of > > Oklahoma-Indian languages in the state through classes in > > schools and universities, cable television, community > > groups and individual efforts. Part of a broader national > > effort to keep American Indian languages alive, Oklahoma's > > 24 indigenous tongues, all endangered, include Choctaw, > > Muskogee, Shawnee and Cherokee, which predominates with > > about 9,000 fluent speakers. The two Apache tribes in the > > state have three speakers between them. "These languages > > are endangered because of the demographics," Dr. Anderton > > said. "Only the elderly speak it. There are the Cherokee, > > Kickapoo and Choctaw tribes where children are still being > > raised with the language, but that is only a small > > minority." > > > > Dr. Anderton was teaching temporary jobs in linguistics at > > Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma, > > but when the work disappeared, she set up a board > > consisting of linguistic experts and Oklahoma Indians, and > > designated herself executive, thus Wordpath was born. > > > > As chief gruntwork person, Dr. Anderton's main job is to > > help devise alphabets, write dictionaries and develop > > curriculums for language programs at other nonprofits in > > Oklahoma. Through her membership on the Ponca Language Arts > > Council, for example, Dr. Anderton was instrumental in > > putting together an alphabet for Ponca, because it lacked a > > standard form. > > > > "The language I'm most familiar with is Comanche," Dr. > > Anderton, who is not an American Indian, said. A Comanche > > hallmark is its singular, dual and plural way of addressing > > people. For instance, the most common way to greet someone > > is, "Tell it," which involves three grammatical endings, > > depending on whether you are talking to one person, two > > people or more than two people. > > > > FINANCING: Dr. Anderton is unpaid (she survives on speaking > > engagements and help from her family); Wordpath's $6,000 > > annual budget comes mostly from Oklahomans and small grants > > from sources like the Endangered Language Fund at Yale > > University and the Oklahoma Humanities Council. > > > > LATEST PROJECT: In addition to "Wordpath," a cable > > television program about native Oklahoma languages, Dr. > > Anderton is writing brochures, starting with the topic > > "What Is Fluency?" "The idea is to try to encourage people > > to do more work in their own language, before it's too > > late," Dr. Anderton explained. As Richard A. Grounds, > > director of the Yuchi language program in Sapulpa, Okla., > > said, the languages "are tied to ceremonial traditions and > > offer cultural knowledge." The surge in interest in > > medicinal plants among non-Indian groups, including > > pharmaceutical companies, could benefit from such > > information. "The languages represent thousands of years of > > close interaction with the environment," Mr. Grounds said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/18/giving/18LEIM.html?ex=1038627909&ei=1&en=a > b79246a7f514b1a > > > > > > > > HOW TO ADVERTISE > > --------------------------------- > > For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters > > or other creative advertising opportunities with The > > New York Times on the Web, please contact > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit our online media > > kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo > > > > For general information about NYTimes.com, write to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company >
