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Re: off topic: language, long

----- Original Message -----
From: Zach Wolff <zachary_wolff@YAHOO.COM>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: off topic: language, long


. . . . The rules we are
taught are not the reason we can communicate, and
communication would not fall apart without them.
People learn lanuage naturally. I don't have a
reference, but I believe that all healthy children can
speak intelligibly BEFORE they receive any formal
education. . . .
Zach

As a grade-schooler I was struck by the common approach of the disciplines
"grammar" and "physics".
Untutored language is a natural phenomenon. Grammarians study this
phenomenon and invent models (grammar) for their own understanding. The
parallel to the study of physics is evident - the big difference is that
the grammarians have the power to impose their tastes upon the object of
their study.

Bob

Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor