Re: Chinese & Mayan writing systems

From: Pieter (zazaza_at_xs4all.nl)
Date: 09/02/04 

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 03:59:45 +0200

Jacques Guy wrote:
> Pieter wrote:
>> Can no one agree with me
>> that if a Chinaman speaks Chinese it follows that a Maya spoke Mayan?
>> Please? Anyone?
>
> I should think that if the Chinaman speaks Chinese, the Mayaman
> speaks Mayese.
>
>> Let's say it makes poetic sense or something. I mean
>> it's not like the ancient Egyptians spoke Egypt now did they.
>
> Oh, all right then. The ancient Egyptians spoke Egyptian,
> the ancient Chinians Chinian, and the ancient Mayans Mayan.
>
> Getting close, no?
>
> Language, and that includes metalanguage, which is
> language talking about language, is all too often
> a dreadful mess. Not all languages are a mess, though.
> But English certainly is a mess. So let's all switch
> to Finnish for instance? Or better, Aymara. They say
> it is the least messy of all.

I could have thought of the same jokes, in fact I did as I wrote what I
did. Is my question so crazy? Doesn't the name of a language usually
take the adjectival form of the speakers referred to? Is it not rather
unusual to have the name for the people and the language coincide?

Cheers,

Pieter

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Chinese & Mayan writing systems
    ... >>that if a Chinaman speaks Chinese it follows that a Maya spoke Mayan? ... The ancient Egyptians spoke Egyptian, ... > Language, and that includes metalanguage, which is ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Chinese & Mayan writing systems
    ... >>that if a Chinaman speaks Chinese it follows that a Maya spoke Mayan? ... The ancient Egyptians spoke Egyptian, ... > Language, and that includes metalanguage, which is ...
    (sci.anthropology)
  • Re: Chinese & Mayan writing systems
    ... >>that if a Chinaman speaks Chinese it follows that a Maya spoke Mayan? ... The ancient Egyptians spoke Egyptian, ... > Language, and that includes metalanguage, which is ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Chinese & Mayan writing systems
    ... > that if a Chinaman speaks Chinese it follows that a Maya spoke Mayan? ... I should think that if the Chinaman speaks Chinese, ... The ancient Egyptians spoke Egyptian, ... Language, and that includes metalanguage, which is ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Chinese & Mayan writing systems
    ... > that if a Chinaman speaks Chinese it follows that a Maya spoke Mayan? ... I should think that if the Chinaman speaks Chinese, ... The ancient Egyptians spoke Egyptian, ... Language, and that includes metalanguage, which is ...
    (sci.anthropology)