LL-L "Language varieties" 2005.07.14 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 14.JUL.2005 (03) * 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:  Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2005.07.14 (02) [E]


Paul Finlow-Bates wrote:
"Interestingly, it was in fact the Germans who were largely responsible for 
exporting Tok Pisin ("pidgin English") from its cradle in New Britain to the 
rest of their New Guinea territory, and its ultimate spread to be the main 
Lingua Franca of the modern country. They obviously saw it as a more viable 
language than the German-based language."

I recently reviewed a book* that dealt partly (one chapter) with the history 
of language policy (or lack thereof) in Papua New Guinea from German and 
Queensland colonial times, through the Australian mandate and past 
independence in 1975. According to the authors, the failure of High German 
in PNG was partly to do with it only being implemented as a school language 
very late in the colonial period and to very few, long after Pidgin had 
already taken hold in some missions. High German had no chance against 
Pidgin because, in the words of an official, "Pidgin is modern and liked!".

Few traces of High German seem to have survived in (Western) Samoa or Nauru 
or the other islands of German colonialism, except in surnames.

*Brown, Michael E., and Ganguly, Sumit (eds.). Fighting Words: Language 
Policy and Ethnic Relations in Asia. Cambridge: The MIT Press (2003).

Go raibh maith agat,

Criostóir.

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