Fantasist's Scroll

A good book, but only for the dedicated.

I recently finished The Language Instinct : How the Mind Creates Language by Stephen Pinker, which is a rather long “proof” of his theory that humans are born with an internal “instinct” for language. It’s a fairly readable book, but it does start to really drag at the end. I wouldn’t recommend it as the first linguistics book for someone new to the field, but it’s not a bad second or third. (For the best introductory book, see my review of Teach Yourself Linguistics.)
But, that being said, it really does a good job of going over some of the basics of linguistics. Pinker explains grammar, phonology, morphology and Chomsky’s Universal Grammar theory. In fact, his explanation of phonology is the first that made it clear to me. Of course, I’m a non-linguist and totally self-taught, so take that for what it’s worth. What’s more, Pinker also covers language change and historical linguistics. He talks about these two in terms of how language may have become innate. Or, at least, how the basic grammatical structures may have become innate “instincts” over time. It’s a fascinating view of how language works and how we human beings learn it.
Pinker also debunks several language myths, including the Eskimo “words for snow” myth and the “animals can learn our language” myth. In fact, he spends quite a lot of time talking about the apes that “learned” sign-language. It seems there was more than a little bias in the studies and no small amount of sloppy science, too.

Overall, I found The Language Instinct to be very readable and quite accessible to the average reader. The last hundred pages, or so, dragged since it felt like Pinker was beating a dead horse. If he couldn’t convince his readers in the first 300 pages that there were parts of language that are instinctual, that last 100 pages weren’t going to help.
That being said, though, it’s still a “must read” for anyone doing any conlang work. It explores language from a broad view and provides invaluable insights into how language works. Well, worth the effort to get through the few rough spots.

Well, it looks like they might be soon!

According to this article on the Washington Post, there’s a working test model already. So far, it’s only a lab toy, but they’re working on making it a more viable reality. Of course, the goal is to make Predator-type robotic aircraft, but the possibilities are really endless.
There are two reasons ornithopters are cool. One, flapping-wing flight is more maneuverable than fixed wing flight. Also, it’s easier to hover with flapping wings. Two, because Frank Herbert described it in Dune. No, really, that counts!

Anyway, it’s a fun one for a Friday afternoon.

No, I am not making this up!

According to this article on The New Scientist, researchers have done work with human echolocation. And, I don’t mean standard sonar, either. Personal echolocation. What’s freaky is that it works better than they expected! Regular humans were able to track down a virtual “insect” in a virtual reality setting using modified bat echolocation signals. So far, that’s about all researcher Dean Waters has been able to accomplish, but he’s hoping that the military and other businesses will get interested. In the meantime, though, he’s happy enough getting a better idea of what it’s like to hear like a bat.

Well, not really, but it’s an eye-grabber, isn’t it?

According to this article on the BBC, there’s actually less than a 1% chance that an asteroid will hit us in the year 2014. Well, they’re monitoring it anyway.
Still, the article has some interesting info on what they track, and why, and how they classify threats from space rocks. Really, it’s a good article.

Go Read It!

Food science takes on a whole new meaning for the military.

According to this article on Wired News, the US military is trying to make better meals our service people. They’re working especially hard on the field rations known as “MREs”, or Meals Ready to Eat. Terrible things, for the most part. Nasty freeze-dried food that a soldier reconstituites in the field. Just the scent of some of these makes guys gag. So, that’s what they’re working on improving. Here’s hoping! (And, they still beat the nasty porridge that the Legions got. Blech!)

This is just crazy!

But, I love it! The TerraWind is billed as “the world’s first luxury Amphibious Motor coach / Yacht” on their website. You just have to see this to believe it. It looks like a regular motor coach, but then, it just drives out into the water and is a freakin’ boat!!
Man, when I’m rich, I gotta’ get me one of these!!

Well, I actually finished this book sometime ago, but just got to writing the review.

Hey, it’s been a busy month! In any case, Aliens and Linguists: Language Study and Science Fiction by Walter Earl Meyers is a really good book and worth hunting up in the used book market. Published in 1980, it’s a little out of date and very out of print, but still a good look at some of the way linguistics has been used, and abused, in science-fiction. Of course, there is also the prerequisite discussion of the most famous conlanger of all, J.R.R. Tolkien. But, mostly this book focuses on science-fiction.
A fair part of the book is spent criticizing the lack of good language use in science-fiction. Highlights include aliens that all speak our language. Or find it ridiculously easy to learn. But, also, the lack of language variation is hammered home as well as other similar errors. Another area of criticism is the lack of up-to-date use of theories and linguistic science in current, at the time, science-fiction. Linguistics, as well as the other so called “soft-sciences” were just getting their hooks into science-fiction at the time.
But, Meyers finds plenty to be happy about, as well. Sure, most writers took the Worf-Saphir theory way too far, but at least they were aware enough of it to use it. There are other good examples of linguistics in science-fiction as well.
Most interesting to me, was Meyers discussion of how aliens might approach language. First, there is every reason to believe that they will have language. It takes a lot of communication to get off a planet! Second, Meyers indicates that, while that language may be wildly different from our own, there’s a good possibility that we can learn it, eventually. Meyers also explores alternate methods of using language, including how telepathy might work from a linguistic point of view.

In all, it was a great read. Especially if you want to write fiction about a “realistic” created world. Language is a part of every culture that we know of, so it must be part of a created culture, as well. A completely enjoyable book and a fascinating subject.

Well, the exoskeletons are new, but they’re for the elderly.

No, really, according to this article at Yahoo!News, a Japanese inventor, and college professor, has invented an exoskeleton designed to assist the elderly get around. Taking care of the elderly is something very important to a lot of cultures, though not so much to American culture for some reason, and the Japanese are especially sensitive to their elderly’s needs. This invention might help them out. And, again, it’s a fun story!