When academics fall out - watch out!

Why is it, I wonder - and not for the first time - that when academics fall out it makes a WWF bout look like a tea party?

The two gentlemen above, Mr. Chris Jericho and Mr. Shawn Michaels, and I stress for reasons of self preservation as well as strict accuracy that they really are absolute gentlemen to their fingertips, could well be replaced by these two gentlemen below.  In the blue corner, ladies and gentlemen, we have Prof. Daniel Everett, the new kid on the block threatening the crown of the world heavyweight champ of linguistics, Prof. Noam Chomsky, know to his friends and comrades as 'Lefty'!

Another question I frequently ask myself is why so many otherwise intelligent men of science having in their youth overthrown the orthodoxy then pass into intransigent middle or old age insisting that 'the science is now settled', thus ignoring the entire history of science which is a never-ending tale of orthodoxy after orthodoxy being severely unsettled!  Still, at least in this dispute over linguistics you will enjoy the self-hugging delight in the irony that the entire subject of linguistics is so abstruse as to be almost incomprehensible to anyone outside the discipline!

Personally, I blame the Pirahã!  Not their fault, of course, because they sound like a rather intelligent tribe of people living in the depths of the Brazilian forest.  Rather sensibly, they have no religion and no hierarchy, not least because they also lack any sense of history or the future.  In other words, they do what we, er, advanced peoples are constantly told not to do, that is, they don't even think of the past and don't plan for the future because there isn't any!  The other thing the Pirahã lack is a sophisticated, or even a mildly complicated, language - such bliss my friends would mutter, not to hear Duff droning on and on and on - and in certain situations like hunting they communicate by whistling.  Anyway, the poor old Pirahã were minding their own business when suddenly Prof. of Linguistics, Daniel Everett, enters their domain.  Even worse than being a professor of linguistics he is also a devout Christian and is intent on converting them all.  After a few years, rather sensibly, Everett gives up his Christianity and concentrates on learning their language which is, according to him, amongst the most basic and under-developed ever found before.  As he gets to grip with the Pirahã's alnguage he realises that it is, and excuse me if I become slightly technical here, non-recursive.  In other words, their sentences are so short and to the point that they lack the ability to insert sub-clauses into their sentences.

So far, so tedious and so what, you might ask?  Well, it was upon this discovery of a language which was non-recursive that the linguistic brown stuff hit the fan!  You see, 'Lefty' Chomsky who, as I told you, is the World Champ in this division, had laid it down from on high that all - repeat ALL - human language, being a product of the human brain, is recursive.  Oh dear, academic handbags at dawn then ensued and continues until this day.  You can read all about it, complete with very recursive sentences, at The Chronicle for Higher Education.  It's a long-ish piece but worth reading not least for the unintentional but delicious ironies on display.

 

Comments

[JK]

Another interesting (perhaps) feature of the Pirahã's though not language-specific is their non-sense or even a need for directions (meant in the geographical sense mind - that's why the hyphen) no north, south, east or west. Nor indeed even a "front" "back" or even a left nor a right.

(Might be attractive to Western males to consider telling his female automobile occupant "No, don't bother, I'm a Pirahã" next time one is attempting a roadtrip.)

Better yet, the Pirahã have no sense of time, except for the now good for when the missus suggests "it's nearing the time for re-arranging the patio furniture."

That is - no sense of the above in a linguistic sense.

[JK]

Ahead of you David:

http://www.amazon.com/Cows-Pigs-Wars-Witches-Riddles/dp/0679724680

[David Duff]

As always, JK!

[Andra]

I like their style.

[JK]

Well then Andra, if you like their style then... uh oh - nevermind.

[Andra]

Dear Mr JK (Ah, you ARE male, aren't you?)

May I ask just what you are implying here? Is there some doubt about my style?

I believe you originate from one of the lesser regarded Southern states and you once went to Tasmania! Well .. very few heterosexual Aussie males admit to going to Tasmania any more.

Perhaps our dear Sister Wolf could decide this weighty issue.

I'll give you bloody style, not to mention couth! I overflow in style and couth and you'll do well to remember it.

What was the question again? Was there a question?

And, bear in mind, I am typing this with one finger due to my shoulder caused in the service of my country, or words to that effect.

[JK]

In service to your country?

Did you receive a medal Andra? Many medals? Are we lesser humans to now begin addressing you with something like The Right Honourable Duchess Andra of Cairns?

Lesser regarded my ass ("arse" in your Australianese) my state gave birth to such luminaries as Lum, Abner, General MacArthur, and Bill Clinton!

[David Duff]

Oh dear! Hate to intrude on a private argument but whilst I don't know about the first two, JK, the last two are amongst the biggest rascals in US history!

[Andra]

Is that L'il Abner? Him I know. The rest, blaaaah!!

Duff, this ain't no private tiff .. any one can join in.

[David Duff]

No, no, thanks all the same but I've already beaten a hasty retreat!

[JK]

When JK was attending high school that "Lady Renee" who used to comment lived in a little place called, Jot 'em Down - eight miles south of JK's hometown.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lum_and_Abner

[Andra]

I think Earthquake M'Goon lived nearby in Rip it Up.
JK could confirm this, I'm sure.