LL-L "Language use" 2004.07.02 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 02.JUL.2004 (01) * 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: Luc Hellinckx <luc.hellinckx at pandora.be>
Subject: Language use

Beste liëglanners,

I've been living for decades on the outskirts of Brussels now (and
working in Brussels) and I fully subscribe to Roger's point of view
regarding the language situation in Brussels. I couldn't have described
it better myself.

Flemish language activists demand extreme respect for their language
(for example, they would like to enforce anybody moving to Flanders to
speak Flemish within a certain amount of time)...however...if they
themselves are moving to Lapland, Albania, Kamchatka or Madagascar for
that matter, very few of them will master the local language within that
same short amount of time. Sure, they will learn any language that is
considered more "powerful" than their own native Flemish, but not so
much if that language is held in low esteem. Clearly a case of double
standards.

Point is, how on earth can any language activist hope to get respect
from any "power-language" speaker (French, English, Chinese, Spanish...)
if he doesn't pay tribute himself to all the other (even) lesser known
languages?

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx

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From: denis dujardin <dujardin at pandora.be>
Subject: LL-L "Language use" 2004.07.01 (06) [E]

This is the Flemish problem. The up-side-down chauvinism.
There are several bilingual Walloon towns and villages, where Flemish
minorities
have theoretical rights to claim their administration in their language.
They are bullied to an extreme extend. How dare they ask for language rights
in a
French spoken area?
So, I have no respect for French speaking people who claim their right for
freedom if they do not have the intention whatsoever to learn the local
language.

Put me in Saoudi-Arabia and I will speak Arabic in a short while.
Frenchspeaking people in Brussel live on an island surrounded by
Dutch/Flemish
speaking area.
They are surrounded by an area where a language is spoken, which could as
well be
Swahili.
I live in Europe and I speak 7 languages. So I can adapt everywhere in
Europe.
The French speaking people in Brussels who highhartedly refuse to learn
Dutch do
not have my respect at all.
This claim for freedom of language makes me laugh bitterly.

denis dujardin
flanders

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