So linguistic time machines do exist!

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daivid
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So linguistic time machines do exist!

Post by daivid »

A couple of weeks ago I complained about the lack of a native speaker community of Ancient Greek speakers to practice with. But maybe time machines do exist after all:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 74669.html
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Scribo
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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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Ah yes Sitaridou's work, fascinating. Here is a famous YouTube clip. Predictable press sensationalism aside, its interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcAYP4irSyQ

As usual on these things, the comments on the article are hiiilllaaarious.
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pster
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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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Hold on a minute! One of the great things about studying a dead language that it can be done just as well on the couch as anywhere else. And anyway, can you imagine the road up to that place?! Just to hear the infinitive?! They probably don't even have the internet. How are you going to access textkit?!

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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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Scribo wrote:
As usual on these things, the comments on the article are hiiilllaaarious.
You're right about that. And they don't let up. "As an ardent admirer of your newspaper..." Lolol. There will always be an England! Here's my favorite thus far: "Something similar is noted in the area of Magna Grecia in Southern Italy. But Mrs Setaridou will discover them in a future article." Lol.

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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

Post by daivid »

pster wrote:Hold on a minute! One of the great things about studying a dead language that it can be done just as well on the couch as anywhere else. And anyway, can you imagine the road up to that place?! Just to hear the infinitive?! They probably don't even have the internet. How are you going to access textkit?!
I'm shocked. If there was a real time machine with a chance to see the first showing of one Euripides plays would your reaction be to ask about the internet access? :-)
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pster
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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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daivid wrote: I'm shocked. If there was a real time machine with a chance to see the first showing of one Euripides plays would your reaction be to ask about the internet access? :-)
No, as long as I can be back here in two hours. I have a strict two hour limit for any activity outside the house. And a one activity per day rule also. How long is the play?

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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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pster wrote:
daivid wrote: I'm shocked. If there was a real time machine with a chance to see the first showing of one Euripides plays would your reaction be to ask about the internet access? :-)
No, as long as I can be back here in two hours. I have a strict two hour limit for any activity outside the house. And a one activity per day rule also. How long is the play?
2 Hours should sort of suffice, but then plays were in trilogies. Perhaps you could make a special exception? If only for the chance of booing Euripides. Be all like "Yo Euripides, that play is whack, bring Aeschylus back". 8)

Plus then we could blog about it.
pster wrote:
Scribo wrote:
As usual on these things, the comments on the article are hiiilllaaarious.
You're right about that. And they don't let up. "As an ardent admirer of your newspaper..." Lolol. There will always be an England! Here's my favorite thus far: "Something similar is noted in the area of Magna Grecia in Southern Italy. But Mrs Setaridou will discover them in a future article." Lol.
Oh aye, Philologists, Linguists, Classicists...whatever we call ourselves, evidentially we know nothing compared to random internet guys #99. Honestly though its a particular problem with Greek, I recall once being asked by a gentleman in Greece if I could cite some useful works on ancient Greek phonology...since he was 100% sure they were wrong. No idea what they were or said etc...just that they were 100% wrong. Naturally. :roll: :lol:
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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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The most I could do would be the last tragedy and the satyr play. I would naturally expect some refreshments. I like to sit in the front row so I can hear every word. And I would very much prefer Sophocles.

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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

Post by daivid »

Scribo wrote:Ah yes Sitaridou's work, fascinating. Here is a famous YouTube clip. Predictable press sensationalism aside, its interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcAYP4irSyQ
.
However close the syntax maybe the pronunciation is very different (unless all those of you who have generously uploaded reconstructed pronunciation videos are way out). And she doesn't say how many infinitives it has - in fact she seems to implie that it has only one. So I haven't bought my train ticket just yet.

(I also notice she is careful not to mention the name of the village so clearly Attic speaking tourists contaminating the dialect is the last thing she wants).
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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

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I think the only difference between this and SMGreek is that it has a surviving infinitive form, I'd wager that some prepositions take cases other than the accusative but that's about it. Obviously its not actually ancient in terms of phonology, morphology, syntaxis, semantics and so on. But people will bite at anything and hopefully this sort of stuff brings her more funding. I mean...seriously Archaeologists always make the most ridiculous claims to chase funding and attention so she might as well.
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Paul Derouda
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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

Post by Paul Derouda »

Scribo wrote:I think the only difference between this and SMGreek is that it has a surviving infinitive form, I'd wager that some prepositions take cases other than the accusative but that's about it. Obviously its not actually ancient in terms of phonology, morphology, syntaxis, semantics and so on. But people will bite at anything and hopefully this sort of stuff brings her more funding. I mean...seriously Archaeologists always make the most ridiculous claims to chase funding and attention so she might as well.
But the most ridiculous claims must still be in space research. When you read the papers, you're really supposed to think that the big issue is whether there's life on Mars, or Titan, or wherever. Now that's ridiculous!

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Re: So linguistic time machines do exist!

Post by daivid »

Paul Derouda wrote: But the most ridiculous claims must still be in space research. When you read the papers, you're really supposed to think that the big issue is whether there's life on Mars, or Titan, or wherever. Now that's ridiculous!
As to reply to you here would be to take the thread off topic - I have moved it to the open board.
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