LL-L "Language survival" 2003.05.03 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 03.May.2003 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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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: Kenneth Rohde Christiansen <kenneth at gnu.org>
Subject: LL-L "Language survival" 2003.05.03 (02) [E]

Hi Peter,

> second generation as we could not read it at all. We learnt about the
> Homeland by reading in English and the
> methodology used to learn the language was purely an oral tradition. I
> am now teaching my 4 year old daghter Dutch and would love to also teach
> her a Low Saxon language (Limburgs or
> not). The problem for me is where or how do I go to learn?

Limburgish isn't a Low Saxon language though :-) but a Rhinelandic
(transsision language between the Low Frankish/German dialects) as far
as I know.

> Universities
> in Australia basically only teach French, German, Spanish, Chinese
> languages, Indonesian with not much Dutch (let
> alone Lowlands Sassich). In Australia it is very very difficult to find
> a speaker of Limburgs to listen to and learn from. To find a public
> institution or private company able to teach English
> speakers is almost impossible. Accessibility seems to be the major issue
> in learning a language. If I look to the internet (the great provider!!)
> I discover many links, dictionaries and other
> useful forums and information on Lowlands languages.

This is also one of the reasons why I want a standardized language
(while still being able to use dialectial coloring while writing).

When a language is standardized it is possible to write dictionaries,
how-to-learn-* books, produce school material etc.

This is very important for teaching the language to the children. It
might not be essential, but it is a great help. It also makes it
possible for people who moved away from the area, to refresh the
language and even to help teaching it to their own childrens.

Many Low Saxon dialects in the Netherlands are already standardized, so
this is a step in the right direction - unfortunately the dialect areas
are small and it is very expensive (and costs a lot of time) creating
such material. If you made a standard across the dialects (while still
being able to show your dialect in the writing) it would be a lot more
affordable creating such material.

> Perhaps we should forget the political, historical, geographical etc
> reasons for languages dying out and concentrate only on the things that
> make a living language, well, live. The idea of a
> common written/spoken form to me seems a fundamental step in making the
> whole thing accessible. The idea of dictionaries on the web is a must
> today. Why more sound files are not used in web based dictionaries is a mystery.

Actually I am working on such a project. I don't have much time though,
so it is proceeding slowly.

Tot ziens,
Kenneth

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