11-823 Conlanging

Orality

OralityOrality

◆ Language differs without a written formLanguage differs without a written form◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter OngOrality and Literacy” Walter Ong◆ Socrates:Socrates:

– Criticized the written form noting its Criticized the written form noting its inability to defend itself through dialoginability to defend itself through dialog

OralityOrality

◆ Language differs without a written formLanguage differs without a written form◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter OngOrality and Literacy” Walter Ong◆ Socrates:Socrates:

– Criticized written form noting its inability to Criticized written form noting its inability to defend itself through dialogdefend itself through dialog

– (He wrote his argument down though)(He wrote his argument down though)

A Language Technology ExperienceA Language Technology Experience

◆ ““Speech Interfaces for Information Access by Speech Interfaces for Information Access by Low-Literate Users in the Developing World” PhD Low-Literate Users in the Developing World” PhD Dissertation, Jahanzeb Sherwani, CMU 2009Dissertation, Jahanzeb Sherwani, CMU 2009

◆ Healthcare workers in rural PakistanHealthcare workers in rural Pakistan◆ Low literacy, so speech should be betterLow literacy, so speech should be better◆ Not clear what language you should useNot clear what language you should use◆ (Always someone else's dialect)(Always someone else's dialect)

HealthlineHealthline◆ Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

– Low literacy users not good with bullet Low literacy users not good with bullet pointspoints

– Structured dialog is literacy dependentStructured dialog is literacy dependent

◆ So what should we doSo what should we do– Low literacy people do learnLow literacy people do learn– They do remember thingsThey do remember things– If it fits their culture/environmentIf it fits their culture/environment

◆ Devise information as storiesDevise information as stories– Related to local environmentRelated to local environment

Oral CulturesOral Cultures

◆ So how do oral cultures rememberSo how do oral cultures remember– Through speechThrough speech

◆ But speech is hard to remember, soBut speech is hard to remember, so– Use rhymes and meterUse rhymes and meter– Use repetitionUse repetition– Active voiceActive voice– Multi-adjectiveMulti-adjective

◆ Long Sagas are made to be rememberedLong Sagas are made to be remembered– Homer's Odyssey, Beowulf, MahabharataHomer's Odyssey, Beowulf, Mahabharata

Orality Factors (Ong)Orality Factors (Ong)

◆ Formulaic StylingFormulaic Styling– Once upon a time, Once upon a time,

昔々 昔々 (mukashimukashi)(mukashimukashi)– Rhythm, breathing, meterRhythm, breathing, meter

◆ Additive rather than subordinativeAdditive rather than subordinative– X and Y and ZX and Y and Z

◆ Aggregative rather than analyticAggregative rather than analytic– ““sturdy oak tree”, “beautiful princess”sturdy oak tree”, “beautiful princess”

◆ Redundant or copiousRedundant or copious– ““great big giant”great big giant”

Orality Factors (Ong)Orality Factors (Ong)

◆ Conservative or TraditionalistConservative or Traditionalist– The story had always been like thisThe story had always been like this

◆ Close to human lifeworldClose to human lifeworld– Close to real life, relevant to real worldClose to real life, relevant to real world

◆ Agonistically tonedAgonistically toned– ““combative” about battles, strugglescombative” about battles, struggles– (car chases)(car chases)

◆ Empathetic and participatoryEmpathetic and participatory– Wise seniors, part of this cultureWise seniors, part of this culture– (cf jury system)(cf jury system)

Orality Factors (Ong)Orality Factors (Ong)

◆ HomoestaticHomoestatic– Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant – Ndewura Jakpa (C17Ndewura Jakpa (C17thth founder of Ghana) founder of Ghana)– Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sonsHad 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons– The story had always been like thisThe story had always been like this

◆ Situational rather abstractSituational rather abstract– Few hypotheticalsFew hypotheticals– 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia– Syllogisms, self opinions, thought Syllogisms, self opinions, thought

problemsproblems

Nursery RhymesNursery Rhymes

◆ Still part of our oral cultureStill part of our oral culture– Long term spoken verseLong term spoken verse– Passed down through the agesPassed down through the ages– Rhymes, consistent Rhymes, consistent – Though sometimes archaicThough sometimes archaic

Nursery RhymesNursery Rhymes

Ring-a-ring o' roses,Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocket full of posies,A pocket full of posies,

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down.We all fall down.

Nursery RhymesNursery Rhymes

Ring-a-round the rosie,Ring-a-round the rosie,

A pocket full of posies,A pocket full of posies,

Ashes! Ashes!Ashes! Ashes!

We all fall downWe all fall down

Nursery RhymesNursery Rhymes

Sing a song of sixpence,Sing a song of sixpence,

A pocket full of rye.A pocket full of rye.

Four and twenty blackbirds,Four and twenty blackbirds,

Baked in a pie.Baked in a pie.

Nursery RhymesNursery Rhymes

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,Half a pound of tuppenny rice,

Half a pound of treacle,Half a pound of treacle,

[ Mix it up and make it nice, |[ Mix it up and make it nice, |

That's the way the money goes ]That's the way the money goes ]

Pop! goes the weasel. Pop! goes the weasel.

Oral RhymesOral Rhymes

◆ Archaic fixed formsArchaic fixed forms– ““four and twenty”four and twenty”– ““posies”posies”– ““treacle”treacle”– ““daily bread” (Lord's Prayer)daily bread” (Lord's Prayer)

◆ Archaic GrammarArchaic Grammar◆ Meaning can be obscureMeaning can be obscure

Songs, Rhymes, MnemonicsSongs, Rhymes, Mnemonics

◆ Songs asSongs as– Stories (Ballads)Stories (Ballads)– HistoriesHistories– Instructions InformationInstructions Information

• Maize planting songMaize planting song• Alphabet songAlphabet song• Washing handsWashing hands

Songs, Rhymes, MnemonicsSongs, Rhymes, Mnemonics

◆ Sayings/MnemonicsSayings/Mnemonics– Red sky at night, shepherd's delightRed sky at night, shepherd's delight– Red sky in the morning, shepherd's Red sky in the morning, shepherd's

warningwarning◆ Facts [sic]Facts [sic]

– In fourteen hundred and ninety-threeIn fourteen hundred and ninety-three– Columbus sailed the ocean seaColumbus sailed the ocean sea

◆ Richard of York Gave Battle in VainRichard of York Gave Battle in Vain◆ May I have a large container of coffee thank youMay I have a large container of coffee thank you◆ Thirty days hath September ...Thirty days hath September ...

Culturally AppropriateCulturally Appropriate

◆ Tamil planting songsTamil planting songs◆ Military marching songsMilitary marching songs◆ Japanese Haiku warningsJapanese Haiku warnings◆ Sesame Street SongsSesame Street Songs

DiglossiaDiglossia

◆ Distinction between formal/informalDistinction between formal/informal– ““High” form and “Vulgar” formHigh” form and “Vulgar” form– can have a prestige relationcan have a prestige relation

◆ Written forms usually “high” formWritten forms usually “high” form– Standardized (has wider audience)Standardized (has wider audience)– May be less literal of actual spoken wordsMay be less literal of actual spoken words

DiglossiaDiglossia◆ Speech/WritingSpeech/Writing

– Different distributionDifferent distribution– Spoken form has more Spoken form has more

• first person, active formsfirst person, active forms– Written form has moreWritten form has more

• Third person, passive formsThird person, passive forms◆ Written form influences spoken formWritten form influences spoken form

– More standardizedMore standardized– Pronunciation: forehead, forecastle, Pronunciation: forehead, forecastle,

botswainbotswain– Second person singularSecond person singular

Language TechnologiesLanguage Technologies◆ Writing (2000-3000 years ago)Writing (2000-3000 years ago)

– Only elite, mostly for taxesOnly elite, mostly for taxes◆ Standardize writing (Latin/Mandarin/Sanskrit)Standardize writing (Latin/Mandarin/Sanskrit)

– More text beyond tax/laws/religionMore text beyond tax/laws/religion◆ Printing press (Gutenberg 1450)Printing press (Gutenberg 1450)

– First press in England 1475First press in England 1475

– By 1500 >20m volumes printedBy 1500 >20m volumes printed◆ Plays (1700s)Plays (1700s)

– High German standardizations (cf Soaps)High German standardizations (cf Soaps)◆ Newspapers/pamphletsNewspapers/pamphlets◆ Letter WritingLetter Writing◆ TypewritersTypewriters

The Second Orality ...The Second Orality ...◆ Radio, TelevisionRadio, Television

– Broadcast to manyBroadcast to many

– Causes standardization of spoken formCauses standardization of spoken form◆ TelephoneTelephone

– Allow wider communicationAllow wider communication

– More immediate than lettersMore immediate than letters◆ Email/short messagesEmail/short messages

– More colloquial, more immediateMore colloquial, more immediate◆ TwitterTwitter

– Beyond written speechBeyond written speech◆ More people write now than 20 years agoMore people write now than 20 years ago

The Second Orality ...The Second Orality ...

◆ Socrates:Socrates:– Criticized the written form noting its Criticized the written form noting its

inability to defend itself through dialoginability to defend itself through dialog

The Second Orality ...The Second Orality ...

◆ Socrates:Socrates:– Criticized the written form noting its Criticized the written form noting its

inability to defend itself through dialoginability to defend itself through dialog◆ Siri tell me why you think the author named his Siri tell me why you think the author named his

character “Winston Smith”character “Winston Smith”