LL-L "Lexicon" 2004.02.21 (01) [E]

Sat Feb 21 17:08:23 UTC 2004

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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: Luc Hellinckx <luc.hellinckx at pandora.be>
Subject: Events

Beste Ron,

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

>Folks,

>As my buddy Kenneth Rohde Andersen just pointed out to me, tomorrow
>(February 21) will be the International Mother Language Day.  I thought
some
>of you may be interested in that.  If so, please check here:
>http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/language/

>This site comes with links to a number of interesting resources.

>On a personal note, I am not terribly in favor of the use of "mother
>language."  There must be millions of people that were not taught their
>native languages by mothers but by grandmothers, fathers, uncles,
neighbors
>or whoever.   Unlike most other European languages, English has the
neutral
>and more established term "native language."  Why not use it?  Or is
someone
>there afraid to use the word "native"?

>On a personal note, I am not terribly in favor of the use of "mother
>language."  There must be millions of people that were not taught their
>native languages by mothers but by grandmothers, fathers, uncles,
neighbors
>or whoever.   Unlike most other European languages, English has the
neutral
>and more established term "native language."  Why not use it?  Or is
someone
>there afraid to use the word "native"?

In Dutch, you need two concepts. The term "moedertaal" used to be
complementary to "vaderland". Yin and yang *s*. So you were supposed to
acquire language skills from your mom. Whereas your dad was supposed to
teach you the love for your country, for an entity bigger than your
local community, for politics, law, for the army and the like... You can
equate this with "patriotism" if you want, which also has the Latin word
for father in it...The "pater familias" used to play a pretty important
role in society, could even become "The Godfather" in some
societies...*s*

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx

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

Hi, Luc, Lowlanders!

> In Dutch, you need two concepts. The term "moedertaal" used to be
> complementary to "vaderland". Yin and yang *s*. So you were supposed to
> acquire language skills from your mom. Whereas your dad was supposed to
> teach you the love for your country, for an entity bigger than your
> local community, for politics, law, for the army and the like...

Sure, it's the same in Lowlands Saxon (Low German) and in German:

LS:
moudertaal ~ mouderspraak  |  vadderland ~ vaderland ~ etc.

German:
Muttersprache  |  Vaterland

However, I don't quite think it's a matter of _yin_ and _yang_ only, unless
you stretch it in a Confucian sort of way.  As far as I am concerned, it is
based on the old principle that child-rearing is to be done only by mothers
(or by females who stand in for them), while the running of a country (or
district, town, etc.) is to be the domain of fathers, i.e., of males.  It's
the old "inside person" (= wife) versus "outside person" (= husband) as is
still enshrined in some Asian languages but whose idea is really
pan-Eurasian.

So languages inherit vocabulary based on these role allocations that in most
parts of the world are no longer that rigid.  Most people don't analyze the
etymology of words when they use them, not even people that otherwise try to
be politically correct.

However, while English does have the word "mother tongue," as far as I know,
*"mother language" does not really exist.  "Native language" is established
and is gender-neutral, so why not use it in the name of a special day?
Perhaps "native" doesn't sit right with some, since some people might
confuse it with "indigenous."

Likewise, "fatherland" is not really an English word, but it is sometimes
used for foreign (alien) flavor, especially when dealing with German
history, to stress, or dramatize, what people believe to be stereotypical
Prussian paternalist power.

What is interesting to me here is that, while people like to go on _ad
nauseam_ about English usurping the space of other languages especially in
electronic communication, I have observed that English too is being
influenced by other languages.  I believe this tends to happen where
non-native English speakers make up English words on the basis of their own
languages, and with spreading use, native English speakers eventually adopt
some of these terms as neologisms.  Perhaps "mother language" is headed that
way.

I can think of an example right away: "guest book" or "guestbook."  As far
as I know, the "proper" English term is "visitors' book," but "guest book"
or "guestbook" have come into general use lately, certainly on the Web.
Similarly, lately I have seen instances of French _livre des visiteurs_
when, as far as I know, _livre d'or_ ("book of gold") is the correct general
term, _livre des voyageurs_ ("travelers' book") in hotels, and _registre des
visiteurs_ ("visitors'/guests' register") in museums and other such public
places.  In other words, I would use _livre d'or_ or _registre des
visiteurs_ for web pages, in English "visitors' book."  However, at least
"guestbook" seems to be on the way of becoming established.

So, I am watching, with more fascination than dismay, how English is
becoming influenced by what initially seems to be non-native speakers'
incorrect terminology spreading via the Web.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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