Re: Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts

The majority, or at least something close to the
majority, of words in Japanese and Korean are from
Chinese. Japanese, like English, is an enthusiastic
borrower of lexicon. Look at all the English words
that exist in Japanese --they even make up English
words that don't exist in English-speaking countries
such as Walkman and Discman, etc. Even names such as
Pokemon --from "Pocket Monster". They have a slew of
Dutch and Portuguese words from the first era of
western contact. I think you've seen too many geisha
movies if you think Japanese culture is stagnant and
non-evolving.


--- Patrick Ryan <proto-language@...> wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick McCallister" <gabaroo6958@...>
> To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 12:00 AM
> Subject: Re: [tied] Languages Evolve in
> Punctuational Bursts
>
>
> > So why are native Japanese words a minority of the
> > language? Your argument doesn't work.
> > Regarding the Inuit language and the Australian
> > languages in question, they are supposedly very
> > isolated. Someone gave this example years ago
> either
> > on the old IE list or the old Nostratics list.
> > Among IE languages, Lithuanian is usually touted
> as
> > the most conservative yet Lithuania has a long
> history
> > of invasion and repression by its neighbors who in
> > turn tried to impose Polish, Russian and German
> upon
> > the population in areas they controlled. Latvian,
> > spoken next door, has a similar history, yet has
> > evolved more.
> >
> > --- Patrick Ryan <proto-language@...> wrote:
>
> ***
>
> What is your source for the statement that native
> Japanese words are a
> minority of the language?
>
> Supposedly? You must be joking! They have lost most
> of their native culture
> and live off the beneficence of the non-native
> majority.
>
> The Lithuanians have maintained ethnic continuity -
> that can trump many
> X-ification efforts.
>
>
> Patrick
>
>

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