> From: Geoffrey Williams <geoffrey.williams who-is-at english.su.edu.au>
> Date: 3 May 1996 08:55:24 +1000
> Subject: Private languages
> To: sys- fling <sysfling who-is-at u.washington.edu>, sys- func <sys-func@uts.edu.au>,
> x- mca <xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu>
> Hi. Personally, I'd be suspicious that it was REALLY private. But it depends on
what is meant by this term. Anti-languages aren't private in the sense of being
unique to one individual; rather they are sub- or anti- societal/cultural, oppositional
varieties I suppose. There is work by Fowler and Kress on literature as
anti-language. But the FAMOUS attack on the very possibility of a private language
in the sense of an a-social language is Wittgenstein in the Phil. Investigations, the
Anti- Private Language argument. But this hasn't to do with secret codes etc. which
are still in social groups, even if of only two people like twins. Bill Downes
> Can anybody help with this query from a colleague, please? I've mentioned
> Michael Halliday's work on antilanguages in Language as social semiotic, and
> Luria's work on the language of the isolated twins. Anybody know of anything
> else? If you would like to reply direct Ivor's address is:
> indyk who-is-at ozemail.com.au
> Thanks
> Geoff
>
> --------------------------------------
> Date: 1/5/96 1:32 PM
> From: Ivor Indyk
> Geoff,
>
> Do you know anybody working in the field of "private languages". There is a
> poet down in Melbourne called Jiavant Biarujia who developed his own language
> - which he calls Taneraic - when he was a teenager. He has now produced a
> grammar and lexicon (A-D, more promised shortly) of Taneraic, lest he forget
> it, and it disappears from the face of the earth. I thought the grammar and
> lexicon (it's really only a pamphlet) might provide an interesting starting
> point for a discussion about this whole phenomenon of the private language -
> but I have a feeling that linguists don't regard this as a legitimate topic.
>
> Any recommendations gratefully received.
>
> Best wishes,
> Ivor
>