I myself although be to learn the computer, do Internet, but one of hobby are linguistics however, for this, the mailing list that I still joined field of a few linguistics designedly (Mailing List) , include the mailing list of famous LinguistList.org among them. Through reading the research article of linguist of world each country, I grew knowledge, widened horizon, widened train of thought, with idiom is described, that is " benefit bandit is shallow " .

For instance last year, I ever had read the article of a research of Japanese scholar T Tsuchiya, those who introduce all sorts of languages on the world is primitive the person that use (Primitive Speakers) . The research technique of this scholar is: Have a look to be planted in some in the language, the amount of which kind of vocabulary is maximum, conclude from this of this kind of language primitive the person that use is a few what kind of people. It is with Japanese exemple, he thinks to be in Japanese, the amount of fish vocabulary is maximum, ) of Japan's for instance common violet 鰤 of Amberjack(of a kind of fish, be in different area of Japan, according to bodily form size of the fish, have 6 names at least (look please below) , from this he concludes, of Japanese primitive the person that use is the person that makes a living with fishing.

Area of ① east of Shanhaiguan: Fish of Inada(small 鰤 ) fish of the 鰤 in Warasa() fish of Buri(big 鰤 )

② closes on the west area: Fish of Tsubasu(small 鰤 ) fish of the 鰤 in Hamachi() fish of Mejiro(big 鰤 )

About English, this scholar thinks, compare with other vocabulary photograph, the amount of vocabulary of the livestock in English is maximum, a lot of cattle are mixed according to sexual distinction the age, have different name (look please below 4 example) , from this he concludes, of English primitive the person that use is the person that with domesticating cattle makes a living.

① Cattle(ox) Bull(ox) Cow(cow) Calf(calf)

② Horse(horse) Stallion(fair horse) Mare(mare) Foal(pony)

③ Pig(pig) Boar(boar) Sow(sow) Shoat(piggy)

④ Sheep(sheep) Ram(ram) Ewe(ewe) Lamb(lamb)

Nevertheless, this him scholar also admits, what will study a language with this kind of method is primitive the person that use, forbid sometimes truly. It is for instance in Chinese, with Horse(horse) concerned Chinese character, include the Chinese character by Ma Zi namely, the amount is very much, about 80 reach 100, but we can not conclude from this: Of Chinese primitive the person that use is the herdsman that makes a living with herd horse. Because Chinese the area of a country's territory is broad,this is, the economic configuration each other of each areas is not identical, when agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery, forestry is equal, exist, do not have unified mode. But this kind of research technique, know the language of the small country of certain and single people to us, for instance Japanese is mixed English, still have fair referenced value, this is the main purpose that I keep this post.
Previous12 Next