My letter to the new york times...
Sir,
In Henry Hudson's View of New York the author states that the word Manhattan comes from an American Indian "dialect". I believe this is incorrect and the word actually comes from an American Indian language. The author's assertion fits a pattern where native languages are routinely labeled as dialects instead of languages while mutually intelligable European languages, such as Spanish and Italian, are not. Perhaps the author is merely following Max Weinreich's aphorism that a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.
Grahm Wiley Parkin
Salish Language Instuctor
Eastern Washington University
Spokane Falls Community College
In Henry Hudson's View of New York the author states that the word Manhattan comes from an American Indian "dialect". I believe this is incorrect and the word actually comes from an American Indian language. The author's assertion fits a pattern where native languages are routinely labeled as dialects instead of languages while mutually intelligable European languages, such as Spanish and Italian, are not. Perhaps the author is merely following Max Weinreich's aphorism that a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.
Grahm Wiley Parkin
Salish Language Instuctor
Eastern Washington University
Spokane Falls Community College