LL-L "Language policies" 2003.01.23 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language policies

Lowlanders,

The latest (January 2003) issue of INS-Presse (a German news bulletin
focused on Lowlands Saxon [Low German]) is out (http://www.ins-presse.de/).
Below are a few hightlights for those of you who do not read German.

***

Some of you may remember the controversy regarding the use of Lowlands Saxon
in patent documentation, rejected as "dialectal" and as inappropriate by the
patent bureau in Munich, despite the fact that Germany had signed the
European Language Charter with inclusion of "Low German" as a "regional"
language.  The latest on this is that Germany's Federal Supreme Court has
overturned that judgment, thus reaffirming that Lowlands Saxon has the same
entitlements as has any other language.  Dr. Claus Schuppenhauer of the
Institut für Niederdeutsche Sprache (INS) confirmed that this is a positive
sign but at the same time suggested that language users and activists
continue being assertive.  Klaus G. Göken, the Bremen patent law attorney
(solicitor) who had defended the application, warned, {my translation}
"Cultural heritage has never survived as a result of laws and legal action.
Even with the best possible outcome, the Federal Supreme Court would not
have relieved speakers and enthusiasts of Low German of their
responsibility."

Several Lower Saxony state council candidates promised to stand up for "Low
German" if elected to office.  Those who were elected are now being watched
on this score, even though in the current economic climate scarcity of funds
will be an even more convenient cop-out than usual.

Hamburg's Prime-Mayor Ole von Beust has created a Committee for Low German
effective January 2003.  Its main responsibility is overseeing and
coordinating implementation of the European Language Charter in the state of
Hamburg.

The Stifterverband Deutsche Wissenschaft (Foundation Alliance Agency for
German Science) has excluded a group of students of a Lunenburg (Lüneburg)
school from its annual language contest, as confirmed by the agency chairman
Bernhard Sicking (sicking at bundeswettbewerb-fremdsprachen.de).  The group's
project is Lowlands Saxon ("Low German").  At first, this was rejected as
"dialectal."  When challenged, plan B called for the explanation that the
contest is supposed to further {international?} exchange, and the student
group remains excluded.  A law professor and the Lunenburg commissioner for
Low German affairs have offered help, but the students decided against
taking legal action.

***

And here are some of my (inevitable) comments and my invitation to discuss
these and the news.

As you can see, it's a case of three steps forward and one step backward,
which is a welcome change from the usual one step forward and two steps
backward.

Well, folks, so much for encouraging kids to learn languages other than
their own.  Heaven forbid they decide learning languages that happen to be
used in their own country!

I have done a little research about the said student language contest.  In
German it is called _Bundeswettbewerb Fremdsprachen_
(http://mailman.bildung.hessen.de/pipermail/englisch/2001-August/000041.html
).   Now, the German word _Fremdsprache_ is interesting.  In most cases it
can be and is translated as "foreign language," for want of a closer English
equivalent.  In most contexts this fits.  However, _fremd_ not only means
"foreign" but more accurately "alien."  Thus, _Fremdsprache_ is any language
that is not one's native language, not necessarily a language of another
country.  It is true that -- hello! when will we wake up?! -- bookstores in
Northern Germany tend to catalogue "Low German" under "Local Interest"
rather than under "Languages" or _Fremdsprachen_.  However, bookstore clerks
should hardly be regarded as calling the shots.  People one would expect to
be thinkers and leaders include those working for governmental agencies.

Would the same rejection apply to a Frisian language project group?  Would
there be a difference if students specialized in Sater Frisian or North
Frisian (which happen to be used in Germany) rather than in Westerlauwer
("West") Frisian (which happens to be used in the Netherlands)?

How would Mr. Sicking and his colleagues receive a student group that
specialized in Danish?  Danish is one of Germany's official languages and is
used in a specific region of Germany (Schleswig/Sleswig/Slesvig).  Now, that
wouldn't do much for "exchange," would it, considering that it is the first
language of a sizeable community of German citizens?  But, wait!  Danish is
also the language of Denmark, thus is also a foreign language, and the
"exchange" excuse would wash, I suppose.

It would be very interesting to see how Mr. Sicking and his colleagues would
treat students who wished to participate using Sorbian as their "alien"
language project.  (As most of you know, Sorbian -- a.k.a. "Lusatian" or
"Wendish" -- is a West Slavonic language unique to Germany.)  Sorbian cannot
be dismissed as "dialectal" (as seen from the vantage point of German).  It
is used by a good number of German citizens and is not a foreign language
(although some Sorbian speakers have moved to other countries).  Lack of
exchange potential could and should thus be used as an excuse to exclude
such a group the same way "Low German" was excluded.  The same would and
should apply to a group that studied Romany or Sinte.  But would and should
it?  What is different about Lowlands Saxon ("Low German")?  Is the problem
that the speakers have come to be considered ethnically "German" and their
language thus not *really* a genuine language in certain people's minds
("one ethnic group" = "one language"), never mind official recognition?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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