LL-L "History" 2002.09.28 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 28.SEP.2002 (02) * 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 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: erek gass <egass at caribline.com>
Subject: LL-L "History" 2002.09.27 (10) [E]

It is pretty obvious that languages can disappear.  Although Scots (which
seems increasingly to be the major user of this discussion group) has
survived, you need only look as far as the Highlands, asf, to see that
Gaelic survives only with concerted effort, and not by natural acceptance.
I was looking at the Nova scotia site just the other day, and noted that
keeping Gaelic alive there is a difficult task (and I use the word task
advisedly).  Here in the US, there isn't a single Native American which has
survived (and many have not!) that is not in some state, whether real or
potential, of demise.  Locally, Deitsch (that is, "Pennsylvania Dutch") has
al but disappeared during my lifetime.  It was healthy when I was boy less
than 50 years ago.

It is natural for languages to change.  Old High German was not forced out,
it merely evolved into modern German.  Frankish (and by that mean the
Frankish of France) simply disappeared even though it was the language of
the successful people!

The movement begun in Catalonia to save endangered languages is a necessity
if they are to be saved.  Even Catalonians feel their relatively strong
regional language may some day be gone, overwhelmed by Castilian (a language
we incorrectly call "Spanish" -- but if the trend in Spain continues,
"Spanish" WILL be the accurate term; already Leonese, Aragonese, Galician,
even Euskara are taking hits).

==================================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>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
 =======================================================================