LL-L: "Language varieties" LOWLANDS-L, 30.NOV.2000 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Languge varieties"

> From: Criostoir O Ciardha [paada_please at yahoo.co.uk]
> Subject: LL-L: "Language varieties" LOWLANDS-L, 29.NOV.2000 (03) [E]
>
> To me, the answer to the question is very simple - a
> variant is a "language" if its speakers deem it so.

This is probably the most politically correct (maybe even the
most popular) answer to the question, but that aside, it's not
really answering the question at all because it says nothing
about the language variety in question. As well as that,
taking this stance causes problems on all sides.

When one argues that a variant is a language "because we deem
it so," one is left with no argument against those who deem it
_not_. In the case of Scots, we have at the moment leading
_Scottish_ politicians who just flatly deny that Scots is a
language (at least a few of whom seem to actually speak Scots
in their unguarded moments). If you try to argue that Scots is
a language because lots of Scots speakers (by no means all)
"deem it so", then they need only deem it _not_ and the whole
argument sinks to the level of pantomime.

On the other side of the coin there's the problem of groups
deeming their own speech a separate language when it really
is hard to justify. In Scots, some "Aiberdeen-awa" groups
(difficult to find an English phrase for "Aiberdeen-awa"!)
try to say that their own dialect is a separate language from
other kinds of Scots. While it's certainly hard for other Scots
speakers to understand these dialects without some
acclimatisation, the dialects can easily be written in a
general Scots orthography and easily understood by other Scots
speakers without changing the grammar at all, so what's the
point in "deeming" it so if all that's achieved is the
splintering of Scots supporters' groups and the multiplying
of red tape for what whatever authorities might actually try
to allocate funds, TV channels, &c?

But the biggest problem of all with this answer to the question
is that it makes it possible for people to declare their
preferred answer without giving the languages/dialects involved
a moment's consideration. I think that most of the problems with
the language/dialect question are due to the fact that people,
unable to see the answer within the field of linguistics as a
science, cast around for social and political answers that have
very little to do with language at all. Just because people tend
to give unscientific answers to the question doesn't mean it
can't be answered scientifically.

Sandy
http://scotstext.org
A dinna dout him, for he says that he
On nae accoont wad ever tell a lee.
                          - C.W.Wade,
                    'The Adventures o McNab'

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