He performed several pioneering surveys of the languages of the Sepik region of New Guinea. The first of these, his Ph.D. research under the supervision of Stephen Wurm, was published as The Ndu languages (1965), and established the existence of this closely related group of languages. In subsequent surveys, Laycock found the Ndu languages were part of a larger language family extending through the middle and upper Sepik valley (the "Sepik subphylum"), and in 1973 he proposed that these languages formed part of a Sepik–Ramu phylum. This remained the general consensus in the linguistic world for over 30 years. While more recent work by William A. Foley and Malcolm Ross has cast doubt on a link between the Ramu – Lower Sepik languages and the Sepik languages, the "Sepik subphylum" seems established as a genuine group.
Laycock also first identified the Torricelli (1968) and Piawi groups of languages. He published numerous papers in linguistics and anthropology.
He was a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA), Vice President of the Australian Linguistic Society (ALS) and a member of Mensa. A keen member of the Australian Skeptics he entertained many people at Skeptic's conventions with his demonstrations of glossolalia and going into trances. After his death, Laycock's meticulous work on the Enochian 'language' (which was allegedly channelled to an associate of the Elizabethan mystic John Dee) was turned by a colleague into one of the very few classics of skeptical linguistics.
He died, after a short illness, in Canberra, on 27 December 1988.
The Ndu language family (Sepik District, New Guinea). Pacific Linguistics C-1. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, 1965. doi:10.15144/PL-C1
"Languages of the Lumi subdistrict (West Sepik district), New Guinea." Oceanic Linguistics 7: 36–66. 1968.
Sepik languages - checklist and preliminary classification. Pacific Linguistics B-25. Canberra, 1973. doi:10.15144/PL-B25
(with John Z'graggen) "The Sepik–Ramu phylum." In: Stephen A. Wurm, ed. Papuan languages and the New Guinea linguistic scene: New Guinea area languages and language study 1. Pacific Linguistics C-38. 731–763. Canberra, 1975. doi:10.15144/PL-C38.731
The Complete Enochian Dictionary: A Dictionary of the Angelic Language as Revealed to Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelley, London: Askin Publishers. 1978.
The Best Bawdry, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1982.
The World's Best Dirty Songs, Angus & Robertson, North Ryde, 1987, ISBN0-207-15408-2.
(with Alice Buffet) Speak Norfuk Today, Norfolk Island, 1988.
A Dictionary of Buin, a language of Bougainville, ed. Masayuki Onishi (Pacific Linguistics 537, 2003). ISBN0-85883-511-8. (published posthumously)
References
^Dutton, T., Ross, M. and Tryon, D. (eds.). 1992. The Language Game: Papers in memory of Donald C. Laycock. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
The Skeptic, Vol 19, No 1, p7
The Second Coming, Barry Williams, Australian Skeptics, Sydney, 1990
Aspects of meaning in fieldwork, in Tom Dutton, Malcolm Ross and Darrell Tryon (eds), The language game: Papers in memory of Don C. Laycock, Pacific Linguistics, C 110, 22 pp., Canberra: ANU, 1993
February 07, 2023
donald, laycock, this, article, about, australian, linguist, anthropologist, australian, artist, artist, 1936, 1988, australian, linguist, anthropologist, best, remembered, work, languages, papua, guinea, born1936australiadied27, december, 1988canberra, austra. This article is about the Australian linguist and anthropologist For the Australian artist see Donald Laycock artist Donald Laycock 1936 1988 was an Australian linguist and anthropologist He is best remembered for his work on the languages of Papua New Guinea Donald LaycockBorn1936AustraliaDied27 December 1988Canberra AustraliaNationalityAustralianOccupationLinguistAcademic backgroundAlma materAustralian National UniversityThesisThe Ndu languages 1965 Doctoral advisorStephen WurmAcademic workMain interestsPapuan languages Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 Selected bibliography 4 ReferencesBiography EditHe was a graduate of University of Newcastle New South Wales Australia and later worked as a researcher at the University of Adelaide in Anthropology He undertook his Ph D at the Australian National University in linguistics and became one among the leading authorities on the languages of Papua New Guinea 1 He performed several pioneering surveys of the languages of the Sepik region of New Guinea The first of these his Ph D research under the supervision of Stephen Wurm was published as The Ndu languages 1965 and established the existence of this closely related group of languages In subsequent surveys Laycock found the Ndu languages were part of a larger language family extending through the middle and upper Sepik valley the Sepik subphylum and in 1973 he proposed that these languages formed part of a Sepik Ramu phylum This remained the general consensus in the linguistic world for over 30 years While more recent work by William A Foley and Malcolm Ross has cast doubt on a link between the Ramu Lower Sepik languages and the Sepik languages the Sepik subphylum seems established as a genuine group Laycock also first identified the Torricelli 1968 and Piawi groups of languages He published numerous papers in linguistics and anthropology He was described by his fellow authors of Skeptical David Vernon Dr Colin Groves and Simon Brown as a 20th century Renaissance Man as his interests were wide ranging from Melanesian languages to channelling Tarot cards and bawdy songs He was a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities FAHA Vice President of the Australian Linguistic Society ALS and a member of Mensa A keen member of the Australian Skeptics he entertained many people at Skeptic s conventions with his demonstrations of glossolalia and going into trances After his death Laycock s meticulous work on the Enochian language which was allegedly channelled to an associate of the Elizabethan mystic John Dee was turned by a colleague into one of the very few classics of skeptical linguistics He died after a short illness in Canberra on 27 December 1988 See also EditKwomtari Baibai languages Papuan languagesSelected bibliography EditThe Ndu language family Sepik District New Guinea Pacific Linguistics C 1 Canberra Pacific Linguistics 1965 doi 10 15144 PL C1 Languages of the Lumi subdistrict West Sepik district New Guinea Oceanic Linguistics 7 36 66 1968 Sepik languages checklist and preliminary classification Pacific Linguistics B 25 Canberra 1973 doi 10 15144 PL B25 with John Z graggen The Sepik Ramu phylum In Stephen A Wurm ed Papuan languages and the New Guinea linguistic scene New Guinea area languages and language study 1 Pacific Linguistics C 38 731 763 Canberra 1975 doi 10 15144 PL C38 731 The Complete Enochian Dictionary A Dictionary of the Angelic Language as Revealed to Dr John Dee and Edward Kelley London Askin Publishers 1978 The Best Bawdry Angus amp Robertson Sydney 1982 The World s Best Dirty Songs Angus amp Robertson North Ryde 1987 ISBN 0 207 15408 2 with Alice Buffet Speak Norfuk Today Norfolk Island 1988 Skeptical Eds Don Laycock David Vernon Colin Groves Simon Brown Canberra Skeptics 1989 ISBN 0 7316 5794 2 A Dictionary of Buin a language of Bougainville ed Masayuki Onishi Pacific Linguistics 537 2003 ISBN 0 85883 511 8 published posthumously References Edit Dutton T Ross M and Tryon D eds 1992 The Language Game Papers in memory of Donald C Laycock Canberra Pacific Linguistics The Skeptic Vol 19 No 1 p7 The Second Coming Barry Williams Australian Skeptics Sydney 1990 Aspects of meaning in fieldwork in Tom Dutton Malcolm Ross and Darrell Tryon eds The language game Papers in memory of Don C Laycock Pacific Linguistics C 110 22 pp Canberra ANU 1993 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donald Laycock amp oldid 1132596232, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
