The Linguist

@CIOL_Linguists AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 27 REVIEWS medicine: a more complete knowledge of flora and fauna benefits us all. Linguistics: knowledge of hitherto unknown speech patterns can bring a greater understanding of language universals and human cognition. The author of Linguist on the Loose is a researcher in endangered languages, mostly in Central and South America. In Nivaclé, spoken in Argentina and Paraguay, he encountered a phoneme quite close to the English pairing /kl/. The language also includes an unvoiced 'l', but not a voiced one. Such an arrangement provided a counter-example to previously accepted generalisations regarding lateral and liquid sounds. In Guatemala, he discovered an unknown Xinkan language, one of four spoken there (all of which are now sadly extinct). Spanish is the usual contact language in this field. Fixers speak it in addition to their Indigenous language. Their role is pivotal regarding in-country travel, introductions and local know-how. Nevertheless, misunderstandings occur. The author explains that some have mistaken him as a missionary and asked him to give the last rites, while others have believed he was involved in fraud, witchcraft or cannibalism. Travelling has its risks. To survey a dialect of Quechua in Apolo, Bolivia, high in the Andes, he flew from La Paz in a ramshackle airplane filled with beef carcasses and building equipment. His destination was an area infected by bubonic plague and the craft was sprayed with DDT to prevent the fleas from further spreading the pestilence. Furthermore, the landing gear only worked after a series of steep descents. The return journey was in cloud and the pilot appeared to be navigating via his wristwatch. Campbell has eaten exotically (ants, tapir, grasshoppers…) and has caught amoebic dysentery, salmonella and typhoid fever; he has experienced the depredations of mobs of monkeys and baboons. He is an experienced guide to the "perils, parasites, politics, and violence" of linguistic fieldwork, as well as its joys. Linguist on the Loose: Adventures and misadventures in fieldwork would be instructive to those embarking on a career in this area of linguistics, as well as would-be explorers and travellers seeking adventure off the beaten track. Graham Elliott MCIL Across 7 A Dravidian language, the official language of Andhra Pradesh. (6) 8 The Russian for this day (ponyedyelnik) translates as 'next to the week'. (6) 9 An official language of Pakistan. (4) 10 This day takes its name from the Roman god of agriculture. (8) 11 Mythical being, half-man half-horse. (7) 13 Month named after the second month of the Julian calendar. (5) 15 The most common surname in Poland. (5) 17 Surname of Gottlieb, Adolf and Paul, who designed a series of cars. (7) 20 Literally Japanese for 'hanging thing', this is a hanging scroll to display artwork. (8) 21 The Chang Zheng of the People's Liberation Army in 1934-5 is usually translated as the ____ March. (4) 23 Unit of time taken from the Latin for 'first small part'. (6) 24 From Greek for 'activity, operation', it is measured in joules. (6) Down 1 Polite form of address for a German man. (4) 2 This month was originally called sextilis in Latin. (6) 3 She gave her name to a tourist attraction on Marylebone Street. (7) 4 The most common surname in the Anglo- Saxon world. (5) 5 Open a gift or parcel. (6) 6 From ancient Greek, 'one who eats at the table of another'. (8) 12 It's all about me, me, me. (8) 14 A rifle accessory which takes its name from a town in the French Basque country. (7) 16 It goes with Shaftesbury in London, Fifth in New York, or Champs-Élysées in Paris. (6) 18 The most common surname in Germany. (6) 19 Politically divided geographical area whose population writes in the hangul or Josŏn-gŭl script. (5) 22 The most common surname in Hungary. (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Crossword no.32 Solution, page 29

• Cover