A Hmong Messianic Script… and Linguistics and that Whole Religion Deal.
December 21st, 2006Long title, huh?
Long post.
I finally got around to ordering Mother of Writing : The Origin and Development of a Hmong Messianic Script from Amazon.
Anyway, I’ve only just begun to dig in, but the book is about a rather mysterious writing system which was invented for the Hmong language, spoken primarily in Laos, but also in France, Canada, Australia, China, Thailand, French Guyana and the United States.
This isn’t to be confused with the various roman-script systems for writing the language, which are rather interesting and worth a post in their own right– no, the book is about a totally distinct script called Pahawh Hmong. You can see images of it at Omniglot under Pahawh Hmong alphabet.
The alphabet is believed by some Hmong to have been the divinely inspired creation of Shong Lue Yang (Soob Lwj Yaj).
(And by the way, eek the Wikipedia article on the Hmong language is abysmal…)
The book was written by a Christian missionary. I found it pretty interesting trying to peel back the layers of who was trying to interpret whom (and what). Yang himself was a (not exactly Christian) missionary, and part of the book was written by one of his followers. But the part which is strictly linguistic can be read without regard to any of that stuff, and the Pahawh Hmong is certainly a fine and interesting piece of orthographic engineering.
The topic of the intersection of religion and linguistics is something which kind of gets my blood boiling. Linguistics is a science, and it should be treated as such. But because missionary “work” overlaps so much with linguistic research, we end up with that the new language codes have a religious organization as their authority… And I mean the authority. As in, the ISO calls these guys up and asks for “the answer” on linguistic nomenclature.
Now, think about that for a second. What if the ISO called up the “Intelligent Design” guys for authoritative answers on biological classification? Maybe they should call up a proper psychic to resolve disputes on whether global warming is real.
I kid, slightly.
So why is the linguistics world okay with being reduced to being the authority on “Ancient, historical, and constructed languages,” while SIL is the authority for… most of the languages on the planet, and most of the languages for which you really need unyielding impartiality?
i especially know about this because when i was a six grader, my parent take me to learn my own culture and stuff. After one year of learning, i think i became smart. This mother of writing is very interesting when i start to know. It’s very hard to learn, but once you got it, it’s very simple. It tooks me two years to memorize the character. I just love this mother of writing because many things that had influence me.
- ka ying @ 17 April 2007Hi there,
Thanks for the comment. It does look quite challenging to learn. I have been studying the Ethiopic writing system for about that amount of time, and it’s only now starting to sink in.
I hope this writing system is encoded into Unicode soon.
The Gallery of Unicode Fonts says that ”
There is a proposal to add Pahawh Hmong to Unicode in the pipeline but it seems to be stalled.
However Jason Glavy has mapped 3 Hmong fonts to Unicode Private Use Area codepoints.”
Here’s hoping, anyway.
Nice to meet you!
(Btw, are there any blogs in Hmong out there that you know of?)
- pat @ 17 April 2007Hi Bryce,
Thanks for your thoughts. I’m not attacking SIL for having religious origins, or for doing linguistics; they’ve done some very fine work, and for many languages, the ONLY descriptive work. And I’m not impugning their scientific rigor in that regard (sorry if I gave that impression, the post was pretty tongue-in-cheek).
However, I do think that it is a monumentally bad idea to simply define SIL as the new international authority on linguistic nomenclature, and yes, the problem that I have with that is that they are not a secular organization. It has nothing to do with the particular religion in question; I would feel the same way if the group in questoin were Muslims or Pastafarians or whatever.
The point is not about the quality of the work. The point is that if this organization wanted to donate their considerable work to the public good, I think they should have done so by turning it over, officially, to the ISO.
Perhaps it won’t be a problem, I really don’t know. I still think it’s the wrong move.
- pat @ 20 May 2007An interesting debate there, I won’t try and offer any insights on that but you’ve gotten me interested in the book that sparked it, thanks pat.
- Rob @ 7 April 2010If you like the tide and durable shoes, welcome to our [url=http://www.mbts-us.com/]MBT[/url] website . Here is everything you want, you can’t imagine there, only because of all, it is for people to [url=http://www.mbts-us.com/]MBT shoes[/url] specially designed gifts. He said [url=http://www.mbts-us.com/]MBT Sandals[/url], seemingly ordinary but again not only in appearance of its charm, it won the likes of mass structure theory is formidable, it can regulate your feet nerve. The characteristics of the [url=http://www.mbts-us.com/vibram-five-fingers-c-36.html]Vibram Five Fingers[/url] way, it make true feelings to the real beauty of shoes
- mbt shoes @ 26 May 2010A man is not old as long as he is seeking nike tailwind 2010 thing. A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.The important nike tailwind 2010 in life is to have a great aim, and the determination to attain it. Fear not that why black airmax 95 life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.There is only one success to be able to spend your airmax 95 sneakers life.Bianguai people suddenly started a gentle love, love when people understand the deterioration of the air max 2009 niggling over.If you understand the value of love and love you have given me I have to wait for the airmax 90 shoes future.Love is a woman with the ears, and if the men will love, but kids nike shoes love is to use your eyes.
- air max @ 8 June 2010Air Jordan 1
- Air Jordan 2010 @ 14 June 2010Air Jordan 4
Air Jordan 5
Air Jordan 6
Air Jordan 11
gucci shoes
gucci outlet
You could find a number of deals in prom dresses and buying cheap prom dresses are the best way to get through the range of women dresses for prom. Prom dresses and cheap prom dressesare available online for all occasions.
- Beauty @ 24 June 2010So good topic and do you like Mbt Shoes.MBT shoes are good quality and free choose from http://www.antimbt.com/ !!!
- puma trainers @ 25 June 2010Now you order from www.antimbt.com you can enjoy our Promotion policy:
- Order 2 pairs one-time, enjoy 10$ discount, discount coupon number is:
2salepumashoes.com
- Order 3 pairs one-time, enjoy 20$ discount, discount coupon number is:
3salepumashoes.com
- Order more than 3 pairs one-time, you can enjoy the wholesale price, order
more get more discount!
ALL Puma Shoes from http://www.salepumashoes.com/ ,PUMA Shoes,puma sandals all cheap puma shoes supply for you!
Please contact me free,if you have any time questions,our msn: salepumashoes@msn.com ,our email:sales@antimbt.com.We will sincerely service for you!
nhl jerseyIn 1908, the International Hockey League (Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace) was established in Paris, nhl team now renamed the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), headquartered in Zurich, chicago blackhawksSwitzerland. 1910 at the 1st European Ice Hockey Championships, pittsburgh penguinsthe British won. Seven years later, the National Hockey League of (NHL) was established in Montreal, philadelphia flyersCanada, started with five teams. In recent years, NHL has become the world’s professionalization and dunk sbcommercialization of highly successful league.
- nhl jersey @ 30 June 2010———– http://www.jordaner.com ——-Discount Activities
New era cap $9
EDHARDY BIKINI $ 16
Air jordan(1-24)shoes $30
Sunglasses Oakey,coach,gucci $12
Handbags(Coach l v f e n d i d&g) $30
Tshirts (Polo ,ed hardy,lacoste) $15
Jean(True Religion,ed hardy,coogi) $30
Bikini (Ed hardy,polo) $18
FREE sHIPPING
======= http://www.jordaner.com ========
- jordanercom @ 9 July 2010Why we choose MBT Panda? Because MBT Sandals is totally different with other footwear. MBT is very special, it has a positive on the entire body, not just the feet. MBT shoes actives your muscles instead of
- http://www.mbtsandal.com @ 12 July 2010undermining them. It is unstable, not stable.
The sole is curved, not flat.In other words: It is the antithesis of a shoe.
The mission of our Discount MBT lmara Shoes: To make people all over the world aware if the benefiits of MBT and to help them live healthier and better liver.
Wholesale MBT shoes, MBT shoes discount, cheap MBT right now, hope you could grab the chance.
No matter louis vuitton or Gucci ,they both stand for a luxury taste and an elegant temperament. To show your differnece,going out with wearing louis vuitton handbags,Gucci handbags or Chanel handbags is your own choice,but I think because the brilliant quality and technique of louis vuitton bags , only theLouis Vuitton handbas can set off that you are pretty extraordinary.
- cao @ 27 July 2010