LL-L "Language use" 2003.10.22 (06) [E/French]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 22.OCT.2003 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Gaidheal <gaidheal at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language use" 2003.10.21 (12) [E/French]


Latha math, a Lowlanders;

Ron said:
>But aren't they technically varieties of French in France now?  I was told
that the European Language Charter had a problem in France because in the
constitution is says something like _La langue de la République est le
français_.  Rumor has it that the compromise solution is to refer to German,
Dutch, Breton, Basque, Catalan, Occitan and Corsican used in France as
"French varieties."  If this is true, then everyone does indeed speak
"French," and the constitution is not being violated.

There's much controversy about this. At the beginning of the French
Revolution, the regional languages were encouraged. Then, the later
republicans frowned upon it and tried to force the country into a more
cohesive whole (witness the breakup of the provinces by Napoléon). It's a
legal loophole, yes, but it's an extremely insulting one (IMO). I don't know
if it's comparable to you, but it seems analogous to Low Saxon being called
a variety of German in order to make it more acceptable legally, or Scots
being called a variety of English. So, in essence, I think there needs to be
an amendment to the French constitution. As far as I can tell, it's rather
offensive.

>I hope you can take some of your own medicine then.  ;)
But of course!

Beannachdan,
Uilleam Òg mhic Sheumais

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

Uilleam (above):

> As far as I can tell, it's rather offensive.

Sure.  I think you are preaching mostly to the converted here.  At least the
situation is one step farther from the stance some members of and applicant
to the European Union still maintain, namely that languages other than the
officially declared national ones are not even used (i.e., that rumors of
them being used are foreign fabrications), that the European Language
Charter therefore is irrelevant to those countries.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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From: jmaguire at pie.xtec.es <jmaguire at pie.xtec.es>
Subject: LL-L "Language use" 2003.10.21 (12) [E/French]

Bonjour,

> Mais non Tom! On ne parle pas français en Alsace et en
Bretagne. On parle
> allemande et breton.

D'accord, j'y avais pensé au breton, mais ne serait-il pas plus
précis de parler de langue alsacienne en Alsace-Lorraine,
plutôt qu'allemand?

> Of course I'm just giving you a hard time ;). I understand
what you mean.

Enchanté de savoir qu'il y a quelqu'un qui m'entend. Je pensais
que j'étais seul au monde (et incompris!).
salut,

Tom :) [Maguire]

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