LL-L "Language survival" 2002.10.25 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 25.OCT.2002 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.lowlands-l.net>  Email: admin at lowlands-l.net
 Rules & Guidelines: <http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.htm>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 You have received this because you have 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>.
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: Holger Weigelt <platt at HOLGER-WEIGELT.DE>
Subject: language survival

Dear Lowlanders !

First let me quote a cut-out of sentences from recent mailings:

.... Whilst  looking for books in Germany on regional dialects, I always
have to go to the 'Local' section - fair enough - but then any books on the
local dialect are usually to be found under the 'humour' subsection. For
serious study of dialects I've found most of the books to be pretty
useless....There are however a few humourous books on dialect out there
which are also quite informative....So comedy dialects as a means of
promoting a dialect - ok, but only if they're quite accurate....The kind of
books I was talking about tend not to be serious, and they have the affect
of making a joke out of the local dialect. As I went on to say, there are
some excellent books out there about dialects - however, still too often
classified as 'humourous'...."I just spent a few days in the Lüneburger
Heide, north-east of Hannover (Hanover if you must), and found
Plattdüütsch
to be alive and well there." ... tell us more about what you saw (and
heard). I´d like some good news to be able to share your optimism.
You say "alive and well". According to what you saw, what percentage of 0
to 20
year olds (who will be the active midlifers in 30 years time) are able to
speak the
language? Whenever I go home (Nordheide) I conclude that this percentage is
approaching zero (certainly a small fraction of one percent).
Looking forward to better news...." and there are not tens of millions of
speakers but at the very, very most ten million." Ron, I meant 50 years
ago. There must have been more 10 mio.? Whatever the old and new figures,
the decline is dazzling.
...But I overheard some middle-aged people talking in Platt in a pub, and
there were a great many books to be had, and it also appeared a lot in
writing on brochures, posters, etc. I don't know about children, of course,
but I had the impression that, at least in the villages, most people over
thirty would be able to switch without a problem. And their children should
at  least have a passive knowledge (one hopes)....If only NDR, the Northern
German public broadcating station, had enough money to dub Sesame Street
and Teletubbies into Platt...

I look on Low Saxon from the special point of view of the Eastern Friesland
variant but I think it isn't much better in other regions. Low Saxon is
still alive - of course - but the number of competent speakers decreases
rapidly. Programmes have been started to promote LS in kindergardens and
schools but these aren't very effective. I doubt that any child will become
a speaker of LS because of these programmes. Wherever LS is used outside
it's familiar context (in advertising for example) it is regarded to be a
joke. There is low acceptance of this language in the younger generation. I
don't give LS any chance to survive as long as it is not accepted in all
respects as a serious second language besides German for use in literature
and journalism as well as in official documents.
About a week ago I announced my new web-project on traditional festivities.
This is mainly an attempt to show the East Friesians that their language is
able to express more than some humourous stories. I want to collect much
material on the subject for a presentation that can be regarded as popular
scientific. My hope is to spread this idea and by this rise the
appreciation of our language.
An other point is knowledge about the language. Most speakers don't want to
learn about their language - and in fact they know very little (even that
they are speaking a language of it's own). They believe its enough to
practise - theoretical learning seems too academic to them. Such learning
however, I believe, is basical to improve practice and to develop the
language for expanded use.

Kind regards
Holger

==================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
* Postings 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>.
=======================================================================