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On Linguistics and Cascading Inventions: A Comment on Arnold's Dismissal of a Polynesian Contact Event in Southern California

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Terry L. Jones  and
Kathryn A. Klar
Terry L. Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Social Sciences, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 (Tljones@calpoly.edu)
Kathryn A. Klar
Affiliation:
Celtic Studies Program, 6303 Dwindle Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-2690 (kkestrel @ socrates.berkeley.edu)
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Abstract

In her recent article, "Credit Where Credit is Due: The History of the Chumash Oceangoing Plank Canoes," Jeanne Arnold questions our 2005 paper in which we suggested that a prehistoric contact event with Polynesians resulted in conveyance of the sewn-plank boat construction technique and a particular style of compound bone fishhook to the Chumash and Gabrielino of southern California. We agree with many of Arnold's views about the cascading effects of sewn-plank boat construction on Native societies of southern California, but question her dismissal of certain aspects of the empirical record, particularly the linguistics, in portraying this invention as strictly autochthonous. Here we recast aspects of the linguistic evidence that Arnold overlooks, provide evidence from oral history which she says is lacking, and discuss chronological issues that are much less straightforward than she suggests. We also mention implications of recent findings from South America. Finally, we submit that we have not discredited the Chumash or any other Native society in developing this hypothesis.

Résumé

Résumé

En su artículo reciente, "el Crédito Donde Acredita es Debido: La Historia del Chumash Canoas del mar de Tablón," Jeanne Arnold pregunta nuestro 2005 papel en el que sugerimos que un acontecimiento prehistórico de contacto con polinesios tenían como resultado transporte de la técnica de la construcción del barco de cosido-tablón y un estilo particular de anzuelo compuesto de hueso al Chumash y Gabrielino del sur de California. Concordamos con muchas de las vistas de Arnold acerca del cayendo en cascada los efectos de la construcción del barco de cosido-tablón en sociedades Nativas del sur de California, pero pregunta su despido de ciertos aspectos del registro empírico, especialmente la lingüística, a representar esta invención como estrictamente autóctono. Aquí refundimos los aspectos de la evidencia lingüística que Arnold deja pasar, proporcione la evidencia de la historia oral que ella dice falta, y discute los asuntos cronológicos que son mucho menos sincero que ella sugiere. Nosotros también mencionamos las implicaciones de conclusiones recientes de Sudamérica. Por último, nosotros nos sometemos que nosotros no hemos desacreditado el Chumash ni cualquier otra sociedad Nativa a desarrollar esta hipótesis.

Type
Comments
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 74 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 173 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2009

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