Talk:Tungusic languages
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What I refer to in this context is NOT the "Mongolian language" but the "Mongolian languages". The latter includes Daur, Dongxian, Moghol and other languages. I used "Mongolic" to distinguish both clearly. --Nanshu 01:04, 8 Apr 2004 (UTC)
[edit] "Shaman"
On Shamanism it is asserted that "shaman" literally means "knower". Can this be confirmed, i.e. is it actually from a Tungus root for "to know" or similar, or is this just a description of the concept? I am asking because the hypothesis that the word is a loan from Chinese would seem rather to depend on whether it has a transparent Tungus etymology. dab (ᛏ) 13:23, 16 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] What is this ssentence supposed to mean?
"One classification which seems to be advocated for a little more than the other alternatives is that the Tungusic languages can be divided into a northern branch and a southern branch, with the southern branch further subdivided into southeastern and southwestern groups."
Should it maybe read: "Once classification, which is [sometimes] advocated over the other alternatives, is dividing the Tungusic languages into a northern and southern branch, with the southern branch further subdivided into southeastern and southwestern groups."
As it is, I don't think the original is english. I've never heard anything to be "advocated for" before. But you can advocate something "over" something else - that means to favour more than the alternatives. Furthermore, "a little more" is a very wishy-washy phrase. --Steevm 01:12, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
