11-823 Conlanging Orality
Orality Orality ◆ Language differs without a written form Language differs without a written form ◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong ◆ Socrates: Socrates: – Criticized the written form noting its Criticized the written form noting its inability to defend itself through dialog inability to defend itself through dialog
Orality Orality ◆ Language differs without a written form Language differs without a written form ◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong ◆ Socrates: Socrates: – Criticized written form noting its inability to Criticized written form noting its inability to defend itself through dialog defend itself through dialog – (He wrote his argument down though) (He wrote his argument down though)
A Language Technology Experience A Language Technology Experience ◆ “ “Speech Interfaces for Information Access by Speech Interfaces for Information Access by Low-Literate Users in the Developing World” PhD Low-Literate Users in the Developing World” PhD Dissertation, Jahanzeb Sherwani, CMU 2009 Dissertation, Jahanzeb Sherwani, CMU 2009 ◆ Healthcare workers in rural Pakistan Healthcare workers in rural Pakistan ◆ Low literacy, so speech should be better Low literacy, so speech should be better ◆ Not clear what language you should use Not clear what language you should use ◆ (Always someone else's dialect) (Always someone else's dialect)
Healthline Healthline ◆ Lessons Learned Lessons Learned – Low literacy users not good with bullet Low literacy users not good with bullet points points – Structured dialog is literacy dependent Structured dialog is literacy dependent ◆ So what should we do So what should we do – Low literacy people do learn Low literacy people do learn – They do remember things They do remember things – If it fits their culture/environment If it fits their culture/environment ◆ Devise information as stories Devise information as stories – Related to local environment Related to local environment
Oral Cultures Oral Cultures ◆ So how do oral cultures remember So how do oral cultures remember – Through speech Through speech ◆ But speech is hard to remember, so But speech is hard to remember, so – Use rhymes and meter Use rhymes and meter – Use repetition Use repetition – Active voice Active voice – Multi-adjective Multi-adjective ◆ Long Sagas are made to be remembered Long Sagas are made to be remembered – Homer's Odyssey, Beowulf, Mahabharata Homer's Odyssey, Beowulf, Mahabharata
Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong) ◆ Formulaic Styling Formulaic Styling – Once upon a time, Once upon a time, 昔々 (mukashimukashi) 昔々 (mukashimukashi) – Rhythm, breathing, meter Rhythm, breathing, meter ◆ Additive rather than subordinative Additive rather than subordinative – X and Y and Z X and Y and Z ◆ Aggregative rather than analytic Aggregative rather than analytic – “sturdy oak tree”, “beautiful princess” sturdy oak tree”, “beautiful princess” “ ◆ Redundant or copious Redundant or copious – “great big giant” great big giant” “
Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong) ◆ Conservative or Traditionalist Conservative or Traditionalist – The story had always been like this The story had always been like this ◆ Close to human lifeworld Close to human lifeworld – Close to real life, relevant to real world Close to real life, relevant to real world ◆ Agonistically toned Agonistically toned – “combative” about battles, struggles combative” about battles, struggles “ – (car chases) (car chases) ◆ Empathetic and participatory Empathetic and participatory – Wise seniors, part of this culture Wise seniors, part of this culture – (cf jury system) (cf jury system)
Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong) ◆ Homoestatic Homoestatic – Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant – Ndewura Jakpa (C17 th founder of Ghana) Ndewura Jakpa (C17 th founder of Ghana) – Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons – The story had always been like this The story had always been like this ◆ Situational rather abstract Situational rather abstract – Few hypotheticals Few hypotheticals – 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia – Syllogisms, self opinions, thought Syllogisms, self opinions, thought problems problems
Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes ◆ Still part of our oral culture Still part of our oral culture – Long term spoken verse Long term spoken verse – Passed down through the ages Passed down through the ages – Rhymes, consistent Rhymes, consistent – Though sometimes archaic Though sometimes archaic
Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes Ring-a-ring o' roses, Ring-a-ring o' roses, A pocket full of posies, A pocket full of posies, A-tishoo! A-tishoo! A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down. We all fall down.
Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes Ring-a-round the rosie, Ring-a-round the rosie, A pocket full of posies, A pocket full of posies, Ashes! Ashes! Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down We all fall down
Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes Sing a song of sixpence, Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye. A pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, Four and twenty blackbirds, Baked in a pie. Baked in a pie.
Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes Half a pound of tuppenny rice, Half a pound of tuppenny rice, Half a pound of treacle, Half a pound of treacle, [ Mix it up and make it nice, | [ Mix it up and make it nice, | That's the way the money goes ] That's the way the money goes ] Pop! goes the weasel. Pop! goes the weasel.
Oral Rhymes Oral Rhymes ◆ Archaic fixed forms Archaic fixed forms – “four and twenty” four and twenty” “ – “posies” posies” “ – “treacle” treacle” “ – “daily bread” (Lord's Prayer) daily bread” (Lord's Prayer) “ ◆ Archaic Grammar Archaic Grammar ◆ Meaning can be obscure Meaning can be obscure
Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics ◆ Songs as Songs as – Stories (Ballads) Stories (Ballads) – Histories Histories – Instructions Information Instructions Information • Maize planting song Maize planting song • Alphabet song Alphabet song • Washing hands Washing hands
Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics ◆ Sayings/Mnemonics Sayings/Mnemonics – Red sky at night, shepherd's delight Red sky at night, shepherd's delight – Red sky in the morning, shepherd's Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning warning ◆ Facts [sic] Facts [sic] – In fourteen hundred and ninety-three In fourteen hundred and ninety-three – Columbus sailed the ocean sea Columbus sailed the ocean sea ◆ Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain ◆ May I have a large container of coffee thank you May I have a large container of coffee thank you ◆ Thirty days hath September ... Thirty days hath September ...
Culturally Appropriate Culturally Appropriate ◆ Tamil planting songs Tamil planting songs ◆ Military marching songs Military marching songs ◆ Japanese Haiku warnings Japanese Haiku warnings ◆ Sesame Street Songs Sesame Street Songs
Diglossia Diglossia ◆ Distinction between formal/informal Distinction between formal/informal – “High” form and “Vulgar” form High” form and “Vulgar” form “ – can have a prestige relation can have a prestige relation ◆ Written forms usually “high” form Written forms usually “high” form – Standardized (has wider audience) Standardized (has wider audience) – May be less literal of actual spoken words May be less literal of actual spoken words
Diglossia Diglossia ◆ Speech/Writing Speech/Writing – Different distribution Different distribution – Spoken form has more Spoken form has more • first person, active forms first person, active forms – Written form has more Written form has more • Third person, passive forms Third person, passive forms ◆ Written form influences spoken form Written form influences spoken form – More standardized More standardized – Pronunciation: forehead, forecastle, Pronunciation: forehead, forecastle, botswain botswain – Second person singular Second person singular
Language Technologies Language Technologies ◆ Writing (2000-3000 years ago) Writing (2000-3000 years ago) – Only elite, mostly for taxes Only elite, mostly for taxes ◆ Standardize writing (Latin/Mandarin/Sanskrit) Standardize writing (Latin/Mandarin/Sanskrit) – More text beyond tax/laws/religion More text beyond tax/laws/religion ◆ Printing press (Gutenberg 1450) Printing press (Gutenberg 1450) – First press in England 1475 First press in England 1475 – By 1500 >20m volumes printed By 1500 >20m volumes printed ◆ Plays (1700s) Plays (1700s) – High German standardizations (cf Soaps) High German standardizations (cf Soaps) ◆ Newspapers/pamphlets Newspapers/pamphlets ◆ Letter Writing Letter Writing ◆ Typewriters Typewriters
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