LL-L "Administrativia" 2007.10.01 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  01 October 2007 - Volume 05
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong <Dutchmatters at comcast.net>
Subject: LL-L "Administrativia" 2007.10.01 (01) [E]

Hey Ron, I am so pleased for you and of course for all of us that we are
doing so well in the new member department.

The more the merrier and it makes for a peaceful army for change. Jacqueline
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From: R. F. Hahn < sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Administrativia

Thanks for saying that, Jacqueline.

In the past, Northern Hemisphere summer tended to be the low season.
Membership numbers would drop and then begin to creep up again in
September.  This year the numbers didn't drop, though they've begun rising
again in September -- and this despite the fact that there are always a few
drop-outs, usually people that joined to just try it and find that it isn't
for them.

I am always particularly pleased to see people from non-"traditional"
countries and cultures joining us. As you know, we always have a core
contingent from Japan, and then there are people from Belarus, Brazil,
China, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Korea, Malaysia,
Moldova, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and
various Spanish-, Portuguese- and Arabic-speaking countries. (Sorry if I
forgot to mention any.)

I think that our online presentations have something to do with the increase
in membership and that the Anniversary project (lowlands-l.net/anniversary/)
has something to do with the increase in diversity.

In the early days, people tended to jump to the false conclusion that we are
some sort of exclusive club of "Germanophiles."  I think that at least
the Anniversary
project acts as an antidote in that it includes non-Lowlands language
varieties and presents them all on an equal level.  It shows people more
clearly that, yes, we do have a focus, but we interrelate this focus with
the world at large, do not think that our core languages and cultures are
better or more interesting than other.  I had hoped that it would do this,
which is why I had harped on having an anniversary party not only for the
family but to invite the entire neighborhood.

So, folks, considering this, here's another plea for the rest of you to step
up to the plate and help with the projects. If you prefer to remain
anonymous, we can accommodate that.  If you need help with English,
proofreading, editing, fonts or other, we can accommodate that too.

As for the Anniversary project in relation to the diversity of our
membership, I wonder where the following are, among others:

   - Alemannic
   - Balear
   - Basque
   - Belarusian
   - Catalan (narration)
   - French (narration)
   - Galician (narration)
   - Gaelic (Scottish)
   - German dialects
   - Greek (narration)
   - Hebrew (narration)
   - Hokkien (Fukienese, Min 閩)
   - Hungarian (narration)
   - Italian (narration)
   - Irish (narration)
   - Japanese (narration)
   - Kashubian
   - Luxembourgish
   - Malaysian English
   - Occitan
   - Polish (narration)
   - Romanian
   - Ruthenian (Rusyn)
   - Shanghainese (Wu 吴)
   - Singaporean English
   - South Asian English
   - Spanish (narration)
   - Thai
   - Valencian (narration)
   - Walloon (narration)

And I'm not even going to go into the topic of Lowlands varieties that our
members have yet to offer.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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