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Not a very good joke. Everett doesn't argue that the Pirahas are a different species; they're human so of course they can do what humans do! What he's saying (
by bambax 10y ago
Not a very good joke. Everett doesn't argue that the Pirahas are a different species; they're human so of course they can do what humans do!
What he's saying (and I think demonstrated pretty well) is that not ALL languages are based on the same fundamental structures: to show this, one counterexample is enough.
- ktRolster 10y agoI don't know anywhere that Chomsky (or anyone) claimed that ALL languages are based on the same fundamental structures, but Wikipedia talks about it, and has links to articles showing that Everett's own examples include recursion. See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_language#Recent_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_language#Recent_co...
- bambax 10y agoThe paragraph on Wikipedia has links to a grand total of 3 articles, one of which by Everett himself, and the other two by the same trio of people. So it's disingenuous to write that Wikipedia "has links to articles". Wikipedia points to a controversy started by 3 people, to which Everett responded, to which the same 3 people responded again. It's difficult to go any further since said articles are behind a paywall.
- YeGoblynQueenne 10y agoActually, Everett claims that the Piraha cannot learn Portuguese. He also claims that they were unable to learn simple arithmetic despite his -cough cough- best efforts. He might as well be claiming that the Piraha are a different species. Note: an inferior species. He's a gigantic asshole really.