AustLit

‘This issue sees the airing of the debate between McConvell and Harris with the latter’s reply to the article on 'neo-Whorfians' which we published in the first edition of 1991. These are critical issues for both educationalists and linguists and, as editor (impartially standing by and watching?), I find one aspect of the debate quite intriguing. Both writers assert that their point of view reflects the Aboriginal reality and so perhaps by implication reflects a state of affairs closer to the truth. We encourage debate because it is from the synthesis of intellectual inquiry that we come to a better understanding of the world in which we live. Epistemologically of course, that understanding will always be a reflection of our own point of view regardless of how w the syntheses progress. But that should not discourage us from building upon the ideas of others. It was William Blake who wrote that 'without contrary is no progression'. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies have come a long way since the First Feet and this is, in part, due to the enlightened debate and the expression of well-argued but fundamentally different points of view. While the debate about 'neo-Whorfians' must rest, at least for the time being, we continue to encourage discussion and differing points of view.’ (Editorial introduction)