LL-L "Language varieties" 2005.03.09 (02) [E]

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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: Ben Bloomgren <ben.bloomgren at asu.edu>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2005.03.08 (12) [E]

Ron, don't get hurt! They also have proverbs and simple translations of
"Italian" words. Don't get yourself hurt by that. I only saw it as a model
for a site of which I dream for the Germanic languages, bofe haa an low.

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From: marco [evenhuiscommunicatie] <marco at evenhuiscommunicatie.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2005.03.08 (08) [E]

Críostóir asked:

> Thanks for the detailed information about languages in Suriname, Ingmar.
Do
> you know if Sranan Tongo is maintained in the Netherlands by second- and
> third-generation Dutch-born Surinamese? Is there any feeling of loyalty to
> Sranan Tongo among the Dutch Surinamese community or is it perceived to be
a
> "patois"?

There is definitely loyalty to Sranan Tongo amongst younger Surinamese in
the Netherlands. All my Surinamese friends (age 20-35) prefer speaking
Sranan Tongo amongst each other in stead of Dutch. It's a bit early to tell
what their children will (prefer to) speak as most of them do not have any
children yet. But at least a basic knowledge of Sranan Tongo is necessary to
'survive' in Surinamese families :-)

Ingmar stated:

> There is (was) another Creole language, Berbice Dutch, in Surinames
neighboring country (former British) Guyana that was based on
> Dutch but had kept a lot of words in it from one African language, Igbo.

Actually, there were two so called Dutch Creole languages in Guyana: Berbice
Dutch and Skepi Dutch. The word 'Dutch' in this respect is not very accurate
though. Most vocabulary in Skepi and Berbice is Zeelandic. No wonder
considering the fact that colonies as Berbice, Essequibo and Demerary were
actually privately owned Zeelandic enterprises. Both varieties still have a
handful of speakers. Strangely enough, these are mainly Indians. Their
people learned these languages to be able to trade with people inside the
(former) colonies.
The vocabulary of the Dutch Creole of the Virgin Islands is also
predominantly based on Zeelandic and West-Flemish dialects, but has a
somewhat more complicated background. The last 'natural' speaker of this
language died in 1996, but a local linguist learned the language and speaks
it fluently. A lot of recordings were made of the last speaker, so at least
we know what the language sounded like. In fact, I tested one recording on
some elderly people in Zeeland and they were able to understand most of the
conversations. Mainly because they were about everyday 'rural' subjects, I
guess.

Regards,

Marco Evenhuis

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From: Ingmar Roerdinkholder <ingmar.roerdinkholder at WORLDONLINE.NL>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2005.03.08 (08) [E]

Sranan Tongo is a single language for no one, neither in the Netherlands,
nor is Suriname itself. The Afro-Caribbean "City-Creoles" of Paramaribo all
have the combination of Suriname Dutch and Sranan Tongo as their maternal
languages. I think here in the Netherlands that usually becomes Suriname-
Dutch and Standard-Dutch, and children will pick up a lot of Sranan as a
kind of streetwise languages, and use it in their peer group too. In fact,
a lot of Sranan and Suriname Dutch words and expressions are used nowadays
in slang and generally used by teenagers and adolescents of all ethnic
groups, Dutch, Afro-Caribbeans, Arabs and Turkish e.a. The last two groups
have contributed to this jargon as well with their own words etc.

Ingmar

>Críostóir:
>Thanks for the detailed information about languages in Suriname, Ingmar. Do
>you know if Sranan Tongo is maintained in the Netherlands by second- and
>third-generation Dutch-born Surinamese? Is there any feeling of loyalty to
>Sranan Tongo among the Dutch Surinamese community or is it perceived to be
>a "patois"?

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