Comments on: Update from the field http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/ Alaskan languages and linguistics Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:06:19 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: SnowLeopard http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/#comment-365 SnowLeopard Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:35:41 +0000 http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/#comment-365 Then I suppose there also isn't much overlap with Lowe's non-technical work in Inuvialuit and Uumarmiut in what I suppose is the Yukon/ Nunavut region. The words look so similar on paper that it's surprising to me that they're not easily understood when spoken. But I guess the same is true for an English speaker being able to follow along with Spanish/French/German when it's written but not when it's spoken. Then I suppose there also isn’t much overlap with Lowe’s non-technical work in Inuvialuit and Uumarmiut in what I suppose is the Yukon/ Nunavut region. The words look so similar on paper that it’s surprising to me that they’re not easily understood when spoken. But I guess the same is true for an English speaker being able to follow along with Spanish/French/German when it’s written but not when it’s spoken.

]]> By: tulugaq http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/#comment-358 tulugaq Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:53:51 +0000 http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/#comment-358 Iñupiaq speakers have told me on more than one occasion that they can't understand Yup'ik at all. There are some cognates, but if they say they can't understand, I see no reason not to believe them. Jacobson's grammar is good, though, as you point out. I keep a copy of it handy, too. Less technical than Fortescue's West Greenlandic grammar, but it's a teaching grammar so being technical wasn't its purpose to begin with. It's very exhaustive and has wonderful exercises. Edna Ahgeak MacLean's teaching grammar (North Slope Iñupiaq grammar, years 1 and 2) is also a very handy guide. My only real frustration with these teaching grammars is that they often give the underlying morphemes and never show the surface forms, but I suspect that's because students are expected to either get the forms right or be corrected by their teacher (either way, they end up with the correct form). Iñupiaq speakers have told me on more than one occasion that they can’t understand Yup’ik at all. There are some cognates, but if they say they can’t understand, I see no reason not to believe them.

Jacobson’s grammar is good, though, as you point out. I keep a copy of it handy, too. Less technical than Fortescue’s West Greenlandic grammar, but it’s a teaching grammar so being technical wasn’t its purpose to begin with. It’s very exhaustive and has wonderful exercises.

Edna Ahgeak MacLean’s teaching grammar (North Slope Iñupiaq grammar, years 1 and 2) is also a very handy guide. My only real frustration with these teaching grammars is that they often give the underlying morphemes and never show the surface forms, but I suspect that’s because students are expected to either get the forms right or be corrected by their teacher (either way, they end up with the correct form).

]]> By: SnowLeopard http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/#comment-357 SnowLeopard Sun, 05 Aug 2007 23:31:41 +0000 http://tulugaq.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/update-from-the-field/#comment-357 How intelligible do Inupiaq speakers find Yup'ik? Jacobson's Practical Grammar of the Central Alaskan Yup'ik Eskimo Language, which I've been working through over breakfast for years, is quite detailed, yet accessible to rank amateurs like myself. The exercises also tend to have a sly humor about them, and there are also various extended readings. How intelligible do Inupiaq speakers find Yup’ik? Jacobson’s Practical Grammar of the Central Alaskan Yup’ik Eskimo Language, which I’ve been working through over breakfast for years, is quite detailed, yet accessible to rank amateurs like myself. The exercises also tend to have a sly humor about them, and there are also various extended readings.

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