LL-L: "Pronunciation" LOWLANDS-L, 31.AUG.2000 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 31.AUG.2000 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
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From: John M. Tait [jmtait at altavista.net]
Subject: LL-L: "Pronunciation" LOWLANDS-L, 27.AUG.2000 (01) [E]

John Feather wrote:

>Friday's "Daily Telegraph" contained the following in an article headed
>"Umlaut explains why Germans look so sauer".
>
>Professor David Myers, a psychologist from Hope College, Michigan,
>said -speaking at the Royal Society of Edinburgh - "Germans are regarded as
>
>grumpy and humourless because their language includes sounds that make them
>
>frown when speaking. The harsh language causes Germans to exercise facial
>muscles involved in frowning and looking sad, as frequently demonstrated by
>
>Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Umlauts on vowels such as "u" cause the mouth
>to turn down. The English sounds of "e" and "ah", on the other hand, create
>
>happy faces."
>
>The German consulate in Edinburgh refused to comment. The subject was "too
>scientific," it said.
>
>I assume that Low Saxons have to be included with HG speakers for this
>purpose. Since similar sounds to those represented by G. "ä", "ö", "ü"
>exist
>in French and Swedish (at least) I am slightly doubtful about the
>thoroughness of this research.

Such sounds - rounded front vowels - occur in Shetlandic as well, and I'v
never heard anyone saying we're grumpy - rather the opposite, especially in
relation to propensity for consuming and plying ungrumpifying beverages (in
which I must admit I am rather behind my fellow islanders.)

To my mind, this illustrates how language is still immune from political
correctness, and how ethnic and social stereotypes can apparently be justified
with impunity by reference to language, in contrast to discredited factors
such as skin colour or skull measurements. Language is one of the last refuges
of ethnic and class prejudice; and because no-one is taught anything about
linguistics, such claims are 'too scientific' to argue against.

John M. Tait.

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