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DIR Return to: Questions about the Use of Language
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#Post#: 8264--------------------------------------------------
Orphan Languages
By: Truman Overby Date: October 23, 2018, 8:50 am
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Who else has a soft spot for languages that are generally not
learned by non-native speakers of that language? I'm talking
about languages that have absolutely no utility in one's life.
My soft spot is for Georgian, for example. It's no surprise that
it's totally and utterly worthless here in the states. There is
a contingent of Georgians in NYC, but outside of that, Georgians
are rare as hen's teeth. Georgian is interesting in that the
alphabet is unique to Georgian. As far as I know, it doesn't
borrow letters from any other alphabet.
Jerry = ჯერი
#Post#: 8266--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: Allie Date: October 23, 2018, 9:41 am
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Ah, Truman, life is so short!
When I started with the language craze some years ago, I flirted
with Swiss German (the apple of my eye) and some UK dialects
such as Cockney Rhyming Slang and Brummie. I also flirted with a
little bit of Irish, Estonian and I don’t know if Dutch and
Greek qualify, but I will list them too.
Problem is: time!
So I started prioritising the languages I was studying that
allowed me to communicate with more people (because
communication plays a big part when it comes to learning
languages for me).
I want to believe someday I will revisit some of them at some
point in my life and I dream about places with dialects or where
dying languages still exist (the New York language “scene” - can
I use this word in this context? - fascinates me).
Good luck with your Georgian!
#Post#: 8272--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: SHL Date: October 23, 2018, 11:47 am
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Jerry,
Why the interest in Georgian?
#Post#: 8297--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: Truman Overby Date: October 24, 2018, 8:58 am
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[quote author=SHL link=topic=551.msg8272#msg8272
date=1540313261]
Jerry,
Why the interest in Georgian?
[/quote]
My goal was to read The Knight in the Panther's Skin in the
original.
#Post#: 8298--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: Aliph Date: October 24, 2018, 9:01 am
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Jerry, do you have Georgian ancestors?
#Post#: 8302--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: Chizuko hanji Date: October 24, 2018, 10:43 am
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Georgian in Georgia in US?
[quote]There is a contingent of Georgians in NYC, but outside of
that, Georgians are rare as hen's teeth. [/quote]
What are you talking about? The old language during the King
Georgia? Or Gruziya?, which is a country used to be in Soviet
Union.
#Post#: 8309--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: Truman Overby Date: October 24, 2018, 1:36 pm
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To answer SHL, Chizuko and Sofia: I tutored several Georgians
and found something intriguing about the people, country, and
language. They seem to get a bad rap but I met some very
interesting people. No one is perfect of course { not even
Germans, Steve }. I've got a few friends there who are
Mingrelians. They especially get a bad rap.
I'm Scottish, Irish, English, and German { eat your heart out
Steve }, no Georgians that I know of.
#Post#: 8311--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: SHL Date: October 24, 2018, 1:54 pm
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Jerry,
Well, with the German roots you should study German. Forget that
Georgian stuff. Like you said, no one is going to speak it
anyway, and where are the resources to learn it even if it had
utility? Sounds like a lot of work for nothing. I´m always
thinking of analogies, so give me a moment. You know those guys
in your town (this is sort of an American tradition guys so bear
with me) that have like a 1952 rusting Packard parked on the
grass in the front of their house that doesn’t run? You know,
it`s an eyesore. But the owners thinks “Oh, some day I`ll put
the time and money into restoring it and then it will be great”
but he never does? Every town in the US has people like this.
Even if he did restore the car and drive it around town, he
might get a few people look at him and think “Oh what a cool old
car” but that’s about as far as it would go. There`s no utility
to it. Just something to show off to a few fairly disinterested
people. I would think learning a little heard of and used
language would be the same. Getting proficient in it would be
nearly impossible due to lack of resources (like finding
replacement parts for an old car) and once you reached your goal
it wouldn’t pay off because you couldn’t use the language in any
practical sense.
Just my 2 cents anyway, but if you want to learn Georgian have
at it and good luck.
#Post#: 8313--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: Truman Overby Date: October 24, 2018, 2:01 pm
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Steve, you're so predictable. ::)
#Post#: 8316--------------------------------------------------
Re: Orphan Languages
By: SHL Date: October 24, 2018, 3:19 pm
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Jerry,
Predictable in what way? So you liked my old car analogy?
It is a truly American phenomenen. Every town has these people.
Sometimes they have three of these old rusting cars in the front
yard, a 1952 Packard, a 1961 Ford T-Bird and like a 1959 Edsel.
They´re rusting out, don’t run, and take up the whole front yard
so these folks don’t have to mow a lawn. And the dream is
someday they`ll fix em all up and drive them I guess. But that
day never comes. Maybe they put them in their will or something
then a lucky guy like you, Jerry, or Neal, inherits one from
some distant uncle. :)
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