Re: Speculative linguistics(*)

Gerry Quinn <gerryq@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <1hyzqd4.1x3hjjr1xyx0s4N%zeborah@xxxxxxxxx>,
zeborah@xxxxxxxxx says...

So how does one speculate on linguistics, without those tropes to rely
on? Should I be looking at how early sf writers speculated on physics
back before they had the tropes that are now second nature to us?

Some SF involves linguistic ideas, usually proposing that the use of a
particular language provokes a mental transformation. This is a common
enough trope; obvious examples are Vance's _The Languages of Pao_ and
Ted Chiang's _Story of your Life_.

My favourite example is Babel-17, by Samuel Delany.

(I haven't even heard of Ted Chiang. Am I missing out?)

Jonathan

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