Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut
International audience This paper begins by stressing the importance of distinguishing between linguistic relativity, whose reality is hardly debatable, and linguistic relativism, which ultimately holds that language communities are locked within their own worldview, hence their own notions of truth...
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ftinalco:oai:HAL:hal-04051987v1 2024-04-28T08:10:56+00:00 Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut Le relativisme linguistique et l’expression de la rationalité théorique de base en inuktitut Mahieu, Marc-Antoine Langues et civilisations à tradition orale (LACITO) Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3-Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (Inalco)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 2023 https://hal.science/hal-04051987 https://doi.org/10.7202/1096506ar en eng HAL CCSD Universite Laval info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.7202/1096506ar hal-04051987 https://hal.science/hal-04051987 doi:10.7202/1096506ar ISSN: 0701-1008 EISSN: 1708-5268 Etudes inuit. Inuit studies https://hal.science/hal-04051987 Etudes inuit. Inuit studies, 2023, 46 (1), pp.177. ⟨10.7202/1096506ar⟩ Inuktitut linguistic relativism theoretical rationality critical thought writing [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal articles 2023 ftinalco https://doi.org/10.7202/1096506ar 2024-04-04T17:18:05Z International audience This paper begins by stressing the importance of distinguishing between linguistic relativity, whose reality is hardly debatable, and linguistic relativism, which ultimately holds that language communities are locked within their own worldview, hence their own notions of truth. It then rejects linguistic relativism by asserting the existence of a universal core of theoretical rationality comprised at the very least of the logical principles of identity, noncontradiction, and excluded middle. It goes on to show how this theoretical rationality manifests itself in the lexicon of a language that differs greatly from English: Inuktitut spoken by Inuit of Nunavik (Arctic Quebec). The definitions provided by Taamusi Qumaq for three words relating to critical thought are translated for the first time. Other quotes give examples of theoretical rationality in actual usage. Finally, the paper asks why logic as such is accorded little value in the culture Inuktitut expresses. The suggested answer follows Jack Goody, who holds that a long written tradition is required for the rules of formal logic to take hold in language practices. Writing is not just a transcription of the spoken word; it is an intellectual technology that impacts the way speakers use their language. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic inuit inuktitut Nunavik Inalco (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales): HAL Études/Inuit/Studies 46 1 177 |
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Inalco (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales): HAL |
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English |
topic |
Inuktitut linguistic relativism theoretical rationality critical thought writing [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences |
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Inuktitut linguistic relativism theoretical rationality critical thought writing [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences Mahieu, Marc-Antoine Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut |
topic_facet |
Inuktitut linguistic relativism theoretical rationality critical thought writing [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences |
description |
International audience This paper begins by stressing the importance of distinguishing between linguistic relativity, whose reality is hardly debatable, and linguistic relativism, which ultimately holds that language communities are locked within their own worldview, hence their own notions of truth. It then rejects linguistic relativism by asserting the existence of a universal core of theoretical rationality comprised at the very least of the logical principles of identity, noncontradiction, and excluded middle. It goes on to show how this theoretical rationality manifests itself in the lexicon of a language that differs greatly from English: Inuktitut spoken by Inuit of Nunavik (Arctic Quebec). The definitions provided by Taamusi Qumaq for three words relating to critical thought are translated for the first time. Other quotes give examples of theoretical rationality in actual usage. Finally, the paper asks why logic as such is accorded little value in the culture Inuktitut expresses. The suggested answer follows Jack Goody, who holds that a long written tradition is required for the rules of formal logic to take hold in language practices. Writing is not just a transcription of the spoken word; it is an intellectual technology that impacts the way speakers use their language. |
author2 |
Langues et civilisations à tradition orale (LACITO) Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3-Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (Inalco)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mahieu, Marc-Antoine |
author_facet |
Mahieu, Marc-Antoine |
author_sort |
Mahieu, Marc-Antoine |
title |
Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut |
title_short |
Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut |
title_full |
Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut |
title_fullStr |
Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut |
title_full_unstemmed |
Linguistic Relativism and the Expression of Basic Theoretical Rationality in Inuktitut |
title_sort |
linguistic relativism and the expression of basic theoretical rationality in inuktitut |
publisher |
HAL CCSD |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://hal.science/hal-04051987 https://doi.org/10.7202/1096506ar |
genre |
Arctic inuit inuktitut Nunavik |
genre_facet |
Arctic inuit inuktitut Nunavik |
op_source |
ISSN: 0701-1008 EISSN: 1708-5268 Etudes inuit. Inuit studies https://hal.science/hal-04051987 Etudes inuit. Inuit studies, 2023, 46 (1), pp.177. ⟨10.7202/1096506ar⟩ |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.7202/1096506ar hal-04051987 https://hal.science/hal-04051987 doi:10.7202/1096506ar |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7202/1096506ar |
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Études/Inuit/Studies |
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46 |
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1 |
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177 |
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1797578585942261760 |