Comments on: The Extinction of a Language http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/ Everyone has a right to my opinions Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:08:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Alex Burford http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130617 Alex Burford Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:09:57 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130617 Sorry to be pedantic but I repeat - it is a myth that the various eskimo peoples have any more ways of defining snow than we do. See in the pup in a moment Rob. A x Sorry to be pedantic but I repeat - it is a myth that the various eskimo peoples have any more ways of defining snow than we do.

See in the pup in a moment Rob.

A x

]]> By: Grannie Rose http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130568 Grannie Rose Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:59:22 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130568 I love the Arcadia quote. I remember being struck by it when I saw the play. So we don't need to worry too much about Mrs Smith Jones. She was 89 and had compiled a dicionary of her language. Intuitively one imagines that a people who experience a lot of snow and different types of snow would have evolved more words for it than we who rarely experience snow but 200 seems a bit excessive! I love the Arcadia quote. I remember being struck by it when I saw the play. So we don’t need to worry too much about Mrs Smith Jones. She was 89 and had compiled a dicionary of her language. Intuitively one imagines that a people who experience a lot of snow and different types of snow would have evolved more words for it than we who rarely experience snow but 200 seems a bit excessive!

]]> By: Clarice http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130549 Clarice Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:05:34 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130549 Yes, I instinctively thought it must be a kind of eskimo (or innuit) too! As for the snow thing, I think it's 200 words, (according to Whorf), but I also gather that is a myth, that the exact number is unknowable. Dunno where he got the 200 from. Yes, I instinctively thought it must be a kind of eskimo (or innuit) too!

As for the snow thing, I think it’s 200 words, (according to Whorf), but I also gather that is a myth, that the exact number is unknowable. Dunno where he got the 200 from.

]]> By: Alex Burford http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130548 Alex Burford Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:56:28 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/01/24/the-extinction-of-a-language/#comment-130548 "Eskimo’s have fourty words for snow (or is it fifty? Or a hundred?)" I'm afraid that this is a myth. The various eskimo languages have no more words for snow than English - rather they use single words where we use multiples: snowflake, snow blizzard etc. I get your point tho' A x “Eskimo’s have fourty words for snow (or is it fifty? Or a hundred?)”

I’m afraid that this is a myth. The various eskimo languages have no more words for snow than English - rather they use single words where we use multiples: snowflake, snow blizzard etc.

I get your point tho’

A x

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