LL-L "Language survival" 2003.07.08 (06) [E/LS]

Tue Jul 8 22:59:42 UTC 2003

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: "Friedrich W. Neumann" <Fieteding at gmx.net>
Subject: LL-L "Language survival" 2003.07.08 (02) [E]

Moin, Frija,

Du schreevst:

> From: FrijaVlaamse at aol.com
> Subject: > SORBIAN SCHOOL IN CROSTWITZ WILL BE DEFINITELY SHUT DOWN!

> Herr Ministerpräsident.
>
> Neulich hab ich gehören das Saxon Ministerium der Kultur hat zum
> Stadtbezirk von Krostwitz
> verkündet, den die lokale Sorbian mittlere Schule definitiv mit neuem
> 2003/2004 Schuljahr geschlossen wird. Dieses ist ein Verbrechen.
>
> Ich möchte protestieren und kündige diese offenbar rassistische
> Entscheidung. Dieses ist von den
> frühen Tätigkeiten der Nazin erinnernd, in der Bemühung ' reinigen Sie '
> das deutsche Blut und Ras
> züchten Sie. Ich dränge Sie, diesen Rassisten nachzuprüfen diese
> Entscheidung und die dauerhafte
> Finanzierung zur Sorbian mittleren
> Schule wieder herzustellen. Obgleich, ich nicht ethnisch Sorbian bin,
> noch ich sogar Slavic bin,
> stehe ich mit den Sorbian Leuten von Krostwitz in der solidarität kündige
> diesen rassistischen
> Angriff auf ihrer Kultur. Wie der König von Dänemark jedoch nenne mich
> ich stolz Sorbian.  Wir
> sind alles Sorbianen!
>
> Respektvoll Ihr geehrter Herr,

Nun mool jümmer sinnig mit de juongen Peer!

Datt is heel schood, wat soo 'n School dichtmookt waardt.
Dat liggt man allmend ne an de Nazis, or gänzlich hett dat watt mit
"Tüchten" tau kriig 'n! Ne in Düütschland, miin beste Frija!
De Tiiden hefft wii haart, DAT Regelwarks hefft wi leihrt!

In 'n Geeigendoom: disse "ethnischen Minnerheeiden" hefft 'n heel Bült
Vöördeeil'n un' sünnerte Privileegien. Is reell gaud sau.

Ick weeit in Oogenblick ne, wovööl Sorben dat geeven geiht- man:
Plattdüütsche gifft dat 'n heel Bült meeihr;  von 'n plattdütsche School
heff ick amend no' nix höört.

Watt Jii Vlaamens Jau jümmer sau oppreegen, enkascheer' n mööt -:)!
Hett obers ook watt!

Kumpelmenten

Fiete.

Not Lucifer I fear,
but those almighty Gods.

----------

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

Fiete, "nich hebben" is een saak; "wegnemen" is 'n annere saak.

Above, Fiete argues that minorities in Germany enjoy several special
privileges, that Lowlands Saxon (Low German) speakers have no special
schools, while some people complain that Sorbian schools are being
abolished.

After the demise of the Hanseatic League, Lowlands Saxon lost its power
language status and came to be cast into the depth of "German dialect"
status under German domination.  This prepared the way for gradual
abolition of the language and resulted in the loss of separate ethnic
Saxon awareness, thus in German integration.  This was facilitated by
the fact that German and Lowlands Saxon are close relatives (just as
Scots and English are close relatives and Scots therefore tends to be
characterised as English "dialect".)  Most LS-speaking children somehow
managed when they were thrown into German-only schools (just like
Scots-speaking children manage when they are thrown into English-only
schools.)  For this reason, the mere suggestion of the possibility of
establishing Lowlands Saxon schools would have been considered anywhere
between ludicrous and seditious.  On the contrary, use of the language
was prohibited in German schools, and children were punished for using
it.  (It was briefly permitted within the framework of _Heimatkunde_ in
my school years and eventually fell victim to the first budget cut.)

The Sorbs (Lusatians), however, do not use a language that you can sell
as a German dialect group.  Their language varieties are Western
Slavonic, the last remnants of the many Slavonic varieties once spoken
in what now is Germany, and the closest relatives of Polish, Kashubian,
Slovincian, Czech and Slovak.  Sorbs (formerly referred to as "Wends")
have *always* been considered linguistically and ethnically separate
from Germans, including Lowlands Saxon speakers.  How could they not
be?  Sorbian language and culture are a part of Germany's heritage, not
some sort of foreign introduction.  Today's Sorbs are German by
nationality/citizenship, but they are Sorbian by ethnicity -- most of
them proundly so, and why should they not be?  There are also many
ethnic Sorbs who no longer know their ancestral language.  As I
mentioned in a previous posting, Sorbian used to be used in a much
larger area.  The loss of the language in most areas, as in that of my
maternal grandmother, was due to a mixture of oppression, prohibition,
denigration and encouraged neglect, and this came primarily from ethnic
Germans and to some degree from those wannabe-German Sorbs who had been
indoctrinated to hold their own heritage in low esteem.  As a result of
a Sorbian renaissance and resurgence in the 19th century (concurrent
with the Lowlands Saxon resurgence wave), this downhill slide was slowed
down by means of educational measures, first and foremost by providing a
place for Sorbian in schooling and eventually Sorbian schools.  Sorbian
schools were safeguarded and enjoyed popularity even among non-Sorbs
under the East German government.  (Quite a few ethnic German parents
sent their children to Sorbian schools to give them a foreign language
advantage and to facilitate mandatory Russian studies, just like many
parents in Germany's extreme north elect to send their children to
Danish schools in Germany and Denmark.)

So Fiete may be argued to be technically correct in rejecting Frijâ's
allegation of "racist" sentiments.  However, Frijâ's viewpoint might
teach us something about the way this affair may be perceived by the
world outside Germany, rightly or wrongly.  Let us not forget that
Germany's Sorbs were not exactly on Hitler's good list, that their
language, their publications and their schools came to be prohibited
during the Nazi period, that Sorbian leaders were jailed, interned in
concentration camps and murdered, and that the future of the Sorbian
people was anything but promising at the time.  We thought we had come a
long way since then, but ...

Sorbian language and culture enjoyed a measure of protection under the
East German regime, even if much of it was mostly for show.  So, Fiete,
can you then be surprised if people perceive it as "racist" or whatever
"...ist" if not too many years after the fall of the wall Sorbian
schools once again find themselves on the chopping block?  Let us not
forget that Hitler and his buddies represented merely the extreme of a
view that has always been strong and continues to be strong in Europe,
albeit hidden behind politically correct talk: "diversity unwanted!"

"Not granting" is one thing; "taking away" is another thing.

Perhaps the argument should be in favor of Lowlands Saxon schools, not
in favor of abolishing Sorbian schools.

Aside from allegations of racism, I personally agree with Frijâ's
characterization of the latest affront against Sorbian rights
"criminal," and I hope many other people, including people outside
Germany, will sock it to those responsible, and sock it to them goood
...

Božemje!
Reinhard/Ron

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