LL-L "Language politics' 2007.02.25 (01) [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 (Zeeuws)

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L O W L A N D S - L - 25 February 2007 - Volume 01

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From: Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics' 2007.02.24 (01) [E]

Dear Sandy

Subject: LL-L "Language politics"

This is because in Scottish schools English is taken seriously as
subject, whereas in English schools the language tends to be taken for
granted (I don't really know about Welsh schools). My personal
observation from working in England is that English people from purely
English-speaking backgrounds are very weak on the grammar of the
language beyond whatever they're used to speaking (unless, of course,
they're big readers - this is the sort of thing that doesn't always need
to be taught). Whereas I, as a Scot who never spoke English outside of
school til I actually left school have such a strong theoretical
background in the language that I constantly correct English people's
grammar and expression when reviewing their work (again, such people
will be clueless when it comes to discussing literature!).

Coming from another polyglottal country I would say you've hit the nail on
the head. This same slackness when it comes to teaching English to native
English speakers by native English speakers (among others) is manifest in S
Africa too, & has been for a long time, to the extent that grammatical
material handled by Afrikaans pupils in their eighth year of schooling is
first dealt with in English in First-year University - usually by a native
Afrikaner.

The native English speaker can almost get away with it, but now that the
schools are integrated without respect for the 'learners' native tongues,
the chickens have come home to roost. Sadly, the only community with a sense
of vocation in teaching here is the Afrikaner, & there are not enough of
them. A majority of the teachers in the 'Model C' upward (parents pay in to
supplement the quality of teaching) are Afrikaners. However the rest must
make do with English medium instruction under teachers who were taught by
bad teachers. To some, the medium of instruction is not a native language to
the teacher or anybody else in the class.I cringe.

Yrs,
Mark

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