On Chomsky
I meet for lunch regularly with a few friends who work in other disciplines (denistry, for example) and the last time I made it, only one other person was there. While we were eating, I was asked if I would be able to transfer some files from my computer to his. He pointed out that, as long as we are going to be sending files, and he was doing me a favor, he could perhaps send me something that I would enjoy. He said that knowing I was a linguist, I must be a fan of Noam Chomsky's, and he had some sort of selection of something by him, and he'd be happy to let me have it.
Though it's quite hard to argue against Chomsky in terms of him having some influence and all in the circle of linguistics, I know a lot of people (one of my entire departments, for example) who don't particularly like him or his theories. It's just a sort of stereotypical thing about linguists that I know people can find quite irksome. (Though it's not as bad as "what languages do you speak?" or the old classic from when I tell my relatives and friends what I was getting a degree in "what are you going to do with that?")
This is followed up by a post by Arnold Zwicky, wherein he mentions the description of a gang of linguists/linguist enthusiasts as:
A group for linguists, armchair linguists, would-be linguists, budding linguists, linguists-in-training, linguistic anthropologists, and/or anybody interested in the scientific study of languages. If Noam Chomsky is your hero... you can join, too. :) [emphasis mine]I guess it's just a prevalent thing. I'm sure many linguists do like Chomsky a lot, but I don't know if he even chalks up to being our mascot, let alone our esteemed champion and exalted leader.
posted by Anonymous at 5.4.07
2 Comentarios:
I get this ALL the time, and I also find it annoying - Chomsky has very little to do with my subfield (sociolinguistics), and I have more opinions about Chomsky in terms of what influence he's had on the field as it's defined, rather than his theories, about which I have very little intelligent to say.
I think the reason the "What do you think of Chomsky" line to linguists is so big is because people *know* about Chomsky, yet for other reasons than linguistics - he's just a general big-shot intellectual, and his political activities make him publicly prominent. I think that when people ask, they aren't really thinking about what do you think about his theories, they're just using it as something to talk to you about - because most people don't know what the hell linguists do talk about (and why would they??!).
"...because most people don't know what the hell linguists do talk about (and why would they??!)."
god, instead of complaining, explain the differences in theory and study. Share information, and don't act so pompous. Yes, Chomsky's a big figure intellectually, but your describing him doesn't have to stink of such bitterness.
Post a Comment
<< Home