A new book by Anna Wierzbicka
Anna W's work has been mentioned in several
discussions, and her new book raises some
issues about the peculiarities of English
that should be recognized by anyone who is
trying to design a "universal" ontology.
Wierzbicka, Anna (2006) _English: Meaning
and Culture_, Oxford University Press.
And by the way, all other languages are just
as peculiar as English, but in different ways.
French, for example, distinguishes a _fleuve_,
which is a river that flows into the sea, from
a _rivière_, which is a river that flows into
another river.
That distinction is based on the geography of
France, where all the major rivers flow into
either the Atlantic or the Mediterranean. But
the US has major rivers, such as the Ohio or
the Missouri, which flow into the Mississippi.
I haven't yet seen this book, but knowing her
work, I would assume it's probably good. She
is a native speaker of Polish, who has done
research on many languages around the world,
including the languages of the Australian
aborigines. So her perspectives on English
should be worth considering.
Following is the blurb from the publisher.
John Sowa
_________________________________________________
Source: http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-517475-5
It is widely accepted that English is the first truly global language
and lingua franca. Its dominance has even led to its use and adaptation
by local communities for their own purposes and needs. One might see
English in this context as being simply a neutral, universal vehicle for
the expression of local thoughts and ideas. In fact, English words and
phrases have embedded in them a wealth of cultural baggage that is
invisible to most native speakers. Anna Wierzbicka, a distinguished
linguist known for her theories of semantics, has written the first book
that connects the English language with what she terms "Anglo" culture.
Wierzbicka points out that language and culture are not just
interconnected, but inseparable. This is evident to non-speakers trying
to learn puzzling English expressions. She uses original research to
investigate the "universe of meaning" within the English language (both
grammar and vocabulary) and places it in historical and geographical
perspective. For example, she looks at the history of the terms "right"
and "wrong" and how with the influence of the Reformation "right" came
to mean "correct." She examines the ideas of "fairness" and
"reasonableness" and shows that, far from being cultural universals,
they are in fact unique creations of modern English. She does the same
to other English words and phrases, as well as dissecting the way
English countries like Singapore and Tasmania have embedded their own
values into their adapted versions. This engrossing and fascinating work
of scholarship should appeal not only to linguists and others concerned
with language and culture, but the large group of scholars studying
English and English as a second language.
Contents
Part I. Meaning, History and Culture
* 1 English as a cultural universe
* 2 Anglo cultural scripts as seen through Middle Eastern eyes
Part II. English words, From Philosophy to everyday discourse
* 3 The story of RIGHT and WRONG and its cultural implications
* 4 Being REASONABLE: A key Anglo value and its cultural roots
* 5 Being FAIR: Another key Anglo value and its cultural underpinnings
Part III. Anglo culture reflected in English Grammar
* 6 The English Causatives: Causation and interpersonal relations
* 7 I THINK: The rise of epistemic phrases in modern English
* 8 PROBABLY: English epistemic adverbs and their cultural significance
Part IV. Conclusion
* 9 The "cultural baggage" of English and its significance in the
world at large