Re: Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts

Read a history of the Japanese language. Japanese
professors have told me the majority of Japanese words
are "Sino-Japanese." I've read that roughly half or
more of Japanese vocabulary is from Chinese. No, I'm
not an expert on Japanese and I'm just repeating what
I've heard and read. I'm sure someone like Sasha Vovin
could tell you the exact number.


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

> I have expressed an interest in learning more about
> the idea that a majority
> of words in Japanese are from any other language.
>
> I asked for the source of your pronouncement unless,
> of course, you are an
> expert on Japanese yourself.
>
> Do you have one?
>
>
> Patrick
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick McCallister" <gabaroo6958@...>
> To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 12:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [tied] 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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