LL-L: "Frisian" LOWLANDS-L, 03.SEP.2000 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

 ======================================================================
  L O W L A N D S - L * 03.SEP.2000 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
  Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
  Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
  User's Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
  Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
  =======================================================================
  A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
  LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
  =======================================================================

From: FryskeRie Friesenrat [fryskerie at altavista.com]
Subject: LL-L: "Pronunciation"

Moin jie Leeglanders!

All through the last year or so, Frisian emancipation really got on the
move. Developments have never been so fast. Two factors that may be part of
the cause are the ratification of the Charter for minority languages by
Germany and the intesified cooperation between the Frisian movements in
North, Westerlauwer and East Frisia/Saterland. I've been able to follow
developments in all three Frisian regions rather intensively and I'd like
to give you a brief overview of the developments I find most interesting.

Met hartelijke groet,
Henk Wolf

(FR = Fryske Rie/Frasche Rädj/Friesenrat = Frisian Council)

North Frisian Kindergardens
===========================
Last year, the FR unexpectedly received 100,000 marks from the government
of Schleswig-Holstein. The money will be dedicated to the installment of
new Frisian-speaking Kindergardens. The North Frisian staff will visit
Westerlauwer Frisian Kindergardens to experience the daily practice.

Media developments
==================
Omrop Fryslan is also present on the web now (http://www.omropfryslan.nl).
Their site contains audio files of the most recent radio news reports.
The North Frisian feriin for Fresk radio is broadcasting from Dithmarschen
now. They are now developing a news agency. Their aim is to build up a
Frisian radio station.

Bilingual signs
===============
All villages in the Frisian-speaking community of Saterland have recently
been provided with new signs at the village entrances, carrying the place
names in both German and Frisian. Westerlauwer and North Frisian already
had bilingual signs.

Youth organizations
===================
Supported by the cultural youth organizations FYK (Westerlauwer Frisia),
Rökefloose and Jöögedforiining Nordfriisk Instituut (North Frisia), an
active group of young Sater Frisians have built op a similar organization
of their own. The Seelter Wipstäite (SeWi) cooperate in the international
network Youth of European Nationalities). The four Frisian youth
organizations are united under the name Ting.

Complaint against Dutch state
=============================
The FR has filed a complaint against the Dutch state in front of a
Committee of Experts of the European Union. Shortly after the Netherlands
ratified the European Charter for Minority Languages, they withdrew the
FR's annual subsidies for interfrisian contacts.

Interfrisian Council
====================
The FR's in North, Westerlauwer and East Frisia/Saterland have merged into
a single organization, the Interfrisian Council. Main aim of the new
cooperation is to establish a project and news agency. The temporary
secretariat in Leer has been functioning for two years now and will soon
receive a permanent base, probably in Westerlauwer Frisia.

Regional movements
==================
A number of politically oriented regional movements have come into play
during the last few years. The best-known organizations are Westerlauwer
Frisian Foarum and its East Frisian counterpart Ostfriesisches Forum. These
organizations aim at cooperation between Lowlands regions, rather than
dependance. A public manifesto, which was also signed by the North Frisian
Foriining for Nationale Friiske, was made public in June 2000 and got quite
some attention, especially in East Frisia.

Bi- and trilingual education
============================
Bilingual primary education was already known in all three Frisian regions.
Since a few years Westerlauwer Frisia had some schools using three
languages of instruction: Frisian, Dutch and English. Four Westerlauwer
Frisian schools now participate in an experiment with bilingual secondary
education (Dutch and Frisian).

==================================END===================================
  You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
  request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
  as message text from the same account to
  <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
  <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
  =======================================================================
  * Please submit contributions to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
  * Contributions will be displayed unedited in digest form.
  * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
  * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
    to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
    <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
  * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
    type of format, in your submissions
  ======================================================================