At 06:42 PM 1/21/2003 +0000, etaonsh <rcom@...> wrote:

There are certain aspects of the discussion of alphabets, their history,
and future, which some participants clearly feel uncomfortable
about/seek to suppress, for reasons that they may not wish to go into.
There is no necessity to suppress discussion, as the opportunity to
ignore posts and threads in which one has no interest, or for which one
has little regard, and set up alternative ones, in this format, are
apparent.

Speaking of discussions of writing systems, thanks to Richard for solving his 40 characters per line and quoting problems.

As for being ignored in the academic worlds, perhaps if you offered the slightest sources for your claims (if you would deign to speak in the language of academia), then academics might notice you and consider your arguments on academic terms. Otherwise I personally don't see any of this rising above the pitiful pseudo-science I can find amply exhibited in my local new age bookstores. But for the specifics it seems to me so far you might as well be talking up Tesla's "works" or proving the existence of UFOs, entire sections of which I can find there near the sections on Druids and Celts.

Anyway, so what if modern writing systems are due to historical incidents and evolution? Isn't that true of every writing system that doesn't match what the first caveman scratched in the dirt to leave a message for the second caveman? and isn't that true of every aspect of every society, including politcal ones such as borders, forms of government, and everything else?

We don't really worry much about undoing evolution in other arenas, although we may wish to understand how it works so we can manage it in the future. Isn't it true that your crusade is perhaps no different than that of groups such as American Indians might make? Doesn't that make it political in nature rather than about writing systems per se? If not, why not? Are you suggesting history be undone and the Celts be given a state of their own where they can use the writing systems you espouse? Fine if that is your agenda, but why not come right out and say it in plain English (so to speak)?

Barry Caplan
www.i18n.com