Re: Chinese & Maya writing systems

From: Harlan Messinger (hmessinger.removethis_at_comcast.net)
Date: 08/23/04 

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 16:36:46 -0400

Yuri Kuchinsky <yuku@trends.ca> wrote:

>LEE Sau Dan wrote:
>>
>> >>>>> "Yuri" == Yuri Kuchinsky <yuku@trends.ca> writes:
>>
>> Yuri> LEE Sau Dan wrote:
>> >> >>>>> "Peter" == Peter T Daniels <grammatim@worldnet.att.net>
>> >> writes:
>> >>
>> Peter> Yuri Kuchinsky wrote:
>> >> >> I meant to say that there seem to be some quite clear >>
>> >> similarities between the Chinese and the Mayan hieroglyphics.
>> >>
>> Peter> What reason is there to suppose that (whatever similarities
>> Peter> you are alluding to) are due to contact rather than to
>> Peter> independent innovation?
>> >> The only "similarity" between these two scripts: BOTH are
>> >> unfamiliar and unintelligible to Yuri Kuchinsky.
>>
>> Yuri> You're wrong.
>>
>> You mean you're familiar with either the Chinese script or the Mayan
>> script?
>
>Yes, my dear Lee.

You're aware that Lee is his family name? How familiar did you say you
are with the Chinese language? (Yes, he's rendering his name in
English letters, but he capitalizes the "LEE" part for a reason.)

>
>> Then, I can't believe that you would say they're similar.
>> Point out the similarities.
>
>This has already been done by Dylan Sung in,
>
>http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=2op5idFcg315U1%40uni-berlin.de
>
>So I guess you still have a lot to learn about either the
>Chinese or the Mayan script... Or maybe about both? :)

Now why would someone who uses :) not understand the :P that Dylan
Sung used to show he was being sarcastic?

>
>> Yuri> Comparative studies of primitive art have probably been
>> Yuri> jeopardised by the zeal of investigators of cultural
>> Yuri> contacts and borrowings. But let us state in no uncertain
>> Yuri> terms that these studies have been jeopardised even more by
>> Yuri> intellectual Pharisees who prefer to deny obvious
>> Yuri> relationships because science does not yet provide an
>> Yuri> adequate method for their interpretation. -- Claude
>> Yuri> Levi-Strauss, ANTHROPOLOGIE STRUCTURALE, 1958
>>
>> I can't see how that quoting relates to the topic of discussion.
>
>There's some relationship...

"Similarity" is not a synonym of "relationship". (There are insects
with visual similarities to leaves or twigs, but they are not at all
related to leaves or twigs.) 

-- 
Harlan Messinger
Remove the first dot from my e-mail address.
Veuillez ๔ter le premier point de mon adresse de courriel.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Chinese & Maya writing systems
    ... >> You mean you're familiar with either the Chinese script or the Mayan ... You're aware that Lee is his family name? ... Now why would someone who uses:) not understand the:P that Dylan ... with visual similarities to leaves or twigs, but they are not at all ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Chinese & Maya writing systems
    ... >> You mean you're familiar with either the Chinese script or the Mayan ... You're aware that Lee is his family name? ... Now why would someone who uses:) not understand the:P that Dylan ... with visual similarities to leaves or twigs, but they are not at all ...
    (sci.anthropology)