Thanks, Bob, for the hint about --with-python=no. I'm now experiencing a different error, shown below, which seems to be related to Perl. I'm trying now with both python and perl disabled. I actually have a modicum of Perl expertise, so if you can tell me what it is about my Perl install that's causing this failure, I might be able to add something to the configure script to autodetect it and give an informative error message.
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/bin/sh ../libtool --mode=link g++ -Wall -W -Wpointer-arith -Wcast-align -WsignWswitch -Wno-unused-parameter -g -O2 -o extension/plugin/libgimpgrad.la -rpatns extension/plugin/gimpgrad.lo -lgc -lpthread -ldl -Wl,-E -L/usr/local/lib /r/DynaLoader.a -L/usr/lib/perl/5.8/CORE -lperl -ldl -lm -lpthread -lc -lcrypt
*** Warning: Linking the shared library extension/plugin/libgimpgrad.la against *** static library /usr/lib/perl/5.8/auto/DynaLoader/DynaLoader.a is not portabl g++ -shared -nostdlib /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i486-linux/3.3.4/../../../crti.o /usr/libginS.o extension/plugin/.libs/gimpgrad.o /usr/lib/libgc.so -L/usr/local/lib /u/DynaLoader.a -L/usr/lib/perl/5.8/CORE -lperl -ldl -lpthread -lcrypt -L/usr/lib//lib/gcc-lib/i486-linux/3.3.4/../../.. -lstdc++ -lm -lc -lgcc_s /usr/lib/gcc-libr/lib/gcc-lib/i486-linux/3.3.4/../../../crtn.o -Wl,-E -Wl,-soname -Wl,libgimpgrbs/libgimpgrad.so.0.0.0 /usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lperl collect2: ld returned 1 exit status make[2]: *** [extension/plugin/libgimpgrad.la] Error 1 make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/bcrowell/Documents/sw/inkscape/src' make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1 make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/bcrowell/Documents/sw/inkscape' make: *** [all] Error 2