[lit-ideas] Language Myths
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:21:24 EDT
R. Paul, referring to J. Evans' consideration writes:
>You may be thinking of the myth that in Appalachia 'they speak like
Shakespeare,' which I heard presented not as >myth but fact many years ago.
This incidentally refers to the prejudice Wittgenstein identified regarding
the French language in _Philosophical Investigations_ we were discussing
earlier on.
In the co-edited volume, _Language myths_, (Trudgill/Bauer) the essay on
"French is a logical language"
is by Anthony Lodge,
and
"In the Appalachians they speak like Shakespeare"
is by Michael Montgomery.
An excellent volume on the whole.
R. Paul refers to the fact/myth distinction. Montgomery's point, in the
later pages of his essay, is that if is a fact that there is an, erm, urban
myth
about Shakespearean Appalachian, then that very myth may be self-redeeming
(or provide its own justification for deeming what is a myth as a fact).
The logic of _deeming_ is still largely unexplored, but I'm always reminded
of Grice's anecdote that one Oxford college refused to accept a given dog in
the premises (on account of a rule that deemed dogs out). As a result of the
meeting of the College, however, it was _deemed_ that the dog *was* a cat.
Ditto for French being _deemed_ a logical language.
Or Appalachian Shakespearen
Cheers,
JL
author of "The Great Redeemer and Other Crucifixion Stories"
JL
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