11-823 Conlanging Orality Orality Orality Language differs - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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11-823 Conlanging Orality Orality Orality Language differs without a written form Language differs without a written form Orality and Literacy Walter Ong Orality and Literacy Walter Ong Socrates: Socrates: Criticized

SLIDE 1

11-823 Conlanging

Orality

SLIDE 2

Orality Orality

◆ Language differs without a written form

Language differs without a written form

◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

◆ Socrates:

Socrates:

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

SLIDE 3

Orality Orality

◆ Language differs without a written form

Language differs without a written form

◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

◆ Socrates:

Socrates:

– Criticized written form noting its inability to Criticized written form noting its inability to defend itself through dialog defend itself through dialog – (He wrote his argument down though) (He wrote his argument down though)

SLIDE 4

A Language Technology Experience A 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 2009 Dissertation, Jahanzeb Sherwani, CMU 2009

◆ Healthcare workers in rural Pakistan

Healthcare workers in rural Pakistan

◆ Low literacy, so speech should be better

Low literacy, so speech should be better

◆ Not clear what language you should use

Not clear what language you should use

◆ (Always someone else's dialect)

(Always someone else's dialect)

SLIDE 5

Healthline Healthline

◆ Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

– Low literacy users not good with bullet Low literacy users not good with bullet points points – Structured dialog is literacy dependent Structured dialog is literacy dependent

◆ So what should we do

So what should we do

– Low literacy people do learn Low literacy people do learn – They do remember things They do remember things – If it fits their culture/environment If it fits their culture/environment

◆ Devise information as stories

Devise information as stories

– Related to local environment Related to local environment

SLIDE 6

Oral Cultures Oral Cultures

◆ So how do oral cultures remember

So how do oral cultures remember – Through speech Through speech

◆ But speech is hard to remember, so

But speech is hard to remember, so – Use rhymes and meter Use rhymes and meter – Use repetition Use repetition – Active voice Active voice – Multi-adjective Multi-adjective

◆ Long Sagas are made to be remembered

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

SLIDE 7

Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong)

◆ Formulaic Styling

Formulaic Styling – Once upon a time, Once upon a time, 昔々昔々 (mukashimukashi) (mukashimukashi) – Rhythm, breathing, meter Rhythm, breathing, meter

◆ Additive rather than subordinative

Additive rather than subordinative – X and Y and Z X and Y and Z

◆ Aggregative rather than analytic

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

◆ Redundant or copious

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

SLIDE 8

Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong)

◆ Conservative or Traditionalist

Conservative or Traditionalist – The story had always been like this The story had always been like this

◆ Close to human lifeworld

Close to human lifeworld – Close to real life, relevant to real world Close to real life, relevant to real world

◆ Agonistically toned

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

◆ Empathetic and participatory

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

SLIDE 9

Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong)

◆ Homoestatic

Homoestatic – Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant – Ndewura Jakpa (C17 Ndewura Jakpa (C17th

th founder of Ghana)

founder of Ghana) – Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons – The story had always been like this The story had always been like this

◆ Situational rather abstract

Situational rather abstract – Few hypotheticals Few hypotheticals – 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia – Syllogisms, self opinions, thought Syllogisms, self opinions, thought problems problems

SLIDE 10

Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes

◆ Still part of our oral culture

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

SLIDE 11

Nursery Rhymes Nursery 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.

SLIDE 12

Nursery Rhymes Nursery 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 down We all fall down

SLIDE 13

Nursery Rhymes Nursery 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.

SLIDE 14

Nursery Rhymes Nursery 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.

SLIDE 15

Oral Rhymes Oral Rhymes

◆ Archaic fixed forms

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

◆ Archaic Grammar

Archaic Grammar

◆ Meaning can be obscure

Meaning can be obscure

SLIDE 16

Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics

◆ Songs as

Songs as – Stories (Ballads) Stories (Ballads) – Histories Histories – Instructions Information Instructions Information

Maize planting song

Maize planting song

Alphabet song

Alphabet song

Washing hands

Washing hands

SLIDE 17

Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics

◆ Sayings/Mnemonics

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

◆ Facts [sic]

Facts [sic] – In fourteen hundred and ninety-three In fourteen hundred and ninety-three – Columbus sailed the ocean sea Columbus sailed the ocean sea

◆ Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain

Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain

◆ May I have a large container of coffee thank you

May I have a large container of coffee thank you

◆ Thirty days hath September ...

Thirty days hath September ...

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Culturally Appropriate Culturally Appropriate

◆ Tamil planting songs

Tamil planting songs

◆ Military marching songs

Military marching songs

◆ Japanese Haiku warnings

Japanese Haiku warnings

◆ Sesame Street Songs

Sesame Street Songs

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Diglossia Diglossia

◆ Distinction between formal/informal

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

◆ Written forms usually “high” form

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

SLIDE 20

Diglossia Diglossia

◆ Speech/Writing

Speech/Writing – Different distribution Different distribution – Spoken form has more Spoken form has more

first person, active forms

first person, active forms – Written form has more Written form has more

Third person, passive forms

Third person, passive forms

◆ Written form influences spoken form

Written form influences spoken form – More standardized More standardized – Pronunciation: forehead, forecastle, Pronunciation: forehead, forecastle, botswain botswain – Second person singular Second person singular

SLIDE 21

Language Technologies Language Technologies

◆ Writing (2000-3000 years ago)

Writing (2000-3000 years ago) – Only elite, mostly for taxes Only elite, mostly for taxes

◆ Standardize writing (Latin/Mandarin/Sanskrit)

Standardize writing (Latin/Mandarin/Sanskrit) – More text beyond tax/laws/religion More text beyond tax/laws/religion

◆ Printing press (Gutenberg 1450)

Printing press (Gutenberg 1450) – First press in England 1475 First press in England 1475 – By 1500 >20m volumes printed By 1500 >20m volumes printed

◆ Plays (1700s)

Plays (1700s) – High German standardizations (cf Soaps) High German standardizations (cf Soaps)

◆ Newspapers/pamphlets

Newspapers/pamphlets

◆ Letter Writing

Letter Writing

◆ Typewriters

Typewriters

SLIDE 22

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

◆ Radio, Television

Radio, Television – Broadcast to many Broadcast to many – Causes standardization of spoken form Causes standardization of spoken form

◆ Telephone

Telephone – Allow wider communication Allow wider communication – More immediate than letters More immediate than letters

◆ Email/short messages

Email/short messages – More colloquial, more immediate More colloquial, more immediate

◆ Twitter

Twitter – Beyond written speech Beyond written speech

◆ More people write now than 20 years ago

More people write now than 20 years ago

SLIDE 23

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 dialog inability to defend itself through dialog

SLIDE 24

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 dialog inability 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”

SLIDE 25

11-823 Conlanging

Orality

Orality Orality

◆ Language differs without a written form

Language differs without a written form

◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

◆ Socrates:

Socrates:

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

Orality Orality

◆ Language differs without a written form

Language differs without a written form

◆ Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

Orality and Literacy” Walter Ong

◆ Socrates:

Socrates:

– Criticized written form noting its inability to Criticized written form noting its inability to defend itself through dialog defend itself through dialog – (He wrote his argument down though) (He wrote his argument down though)

A Language Technology Experience A 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 2009 Dissertation, Jahanzeb Sherwani, CMU 2009

Healthcare workers in rural Pakistan

Low literacy, so speech should be better

Not clear what language you should use

(Always someone else's dialect)

Healthline Healthline

◆ Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

– Low literacy users not good with bullet Low literacy users not good with bullet points points – Structured dialog is literacy dependent Structured dialog is literacy dependent

◆ So what should we do

So what should we do

– Low literacy people do learn Low literacy people do learn – They do remember things They do remember things – If it fits their culture/environment If it fits their culture/environment

◆ Devise information as stories

Devise information as stories

– Related to local environment Related to local environment

Oral Cultures Oral Cultures

So how do oral cultures remember – Through speech Through speech

But speech is hard to remember, so – Use rhymes and meter Use rhymes and meter – Use repetition Use repetition – Active voice Active voice – Multi-adjective Multi-adjective

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

Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong)

Formulaic Styling – Once upon a time, Once upon a time, 昔々 昔々 (mukashimukashi) (mukashimukashi) – Rhythm, breathing, meter Rhythm, breathing, meter

Additive rather than subordinative – X and Y and Z X and Y and Z

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

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

Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong)

Conservative or Traditionalist – The story had always been like this The story had always been like this

Close to human lifeworld – Close to real life, relevant to real world Close to real life, relevant to real world

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

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

Orality Factors (Ong) Orality Factors (Ong)

Homoestatic – Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant Its hard to remember so remove irrelevant – Ndewura Jakpa (C17 Ndewura Jakpa (C17th

founder of Ghana) – Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons Had 7 sons, but now only “had” 5 sons – The story had always been like this The story had always been like this

Situational rather abstract – Few hypotheticals Few hypotheticals – 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia 1930s study in Uzbekistan/Kirghizia – Syllogisms, self opinions, thought Syllogisms, self opinions, thought problems problems

Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes

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

Nursery Rhymes Nursery 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 Rhymes Nursery 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 down We all fall down

Nursery Rhymes Nursery 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 Rhymes Nursery 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 Rhymes Oral Rhymes

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

Archaic Grammar

Meaning can be obscure

Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics

Songs as – Stories (Ballads) Stories (Ballads) – Histories Histories – Instructions Information Instructions Information

Maize planting song

Alphabet song

Washing hands

Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics Songs, Rhymes, Mnemonics

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

Facts [sic] – In fourteen hundred and ninety-three In fourteen hundred and ninety-three – Columbus sailed the ocean sea Columbus sailed the ocean sea

Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain

May I have a large container of coffee thank you

Thirty days hath September ...

Culturally Appropriate Culturally Appropriate

Tamil planting songs

Military marching songs

Formulaic Styling – Once upon a time, Once upon a time, 昔々昔々 (mukashimukashi) (mukashimukashi) – Rhythm, breathing, meter Rhythm, breathing, meter