LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.23 (02) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  23 September 2007 - Volume 02
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.22 (04) [E]

From: "Clarkedavid8 at aol.com <mailto:Clarkedavid8 at aol.com>"
 <Clarkedavid8 at aol.com <mailto:Clarkedavid8 at aol.com>>
>
> Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.22 (02) [E/LS]
>
> Ron wrote::
>
>     think it was Marcus who pointed out that some activists of Cornish
>     -- a language in much more dire straits but with an admirably
>     active language revival lobby -- now offer a free service of
>     translating short texts into Cornish.
>
> Cornish greatly increased its international profile by appearing in an
> episode of the Simpsons, when Lisa Simpson took it up. Perhaps you
> could arrange to do the same with Low Saxon?
>
> David Clarke

The idea is really good, and I think it would really help making the
language more visible! But I guess, it is very hard to convince the
producers of a TV series (may it be Simpsons or some other) to
incorporate a mentioning of Low Saxon. If a TV producer with not
lingustical background will get a phone call or letter asking for
support for a language minority, his first thought will be "No, won't do
that. It's maybe a controversial issue over there in Europe and we could
get into troubles, if we do that."

And a second thing: The Simpsons (and most English media, at least
those, which are part of popular culture) don't portray Germans very
well-balanced. I fear a Low Saxon appearing in the Simpsons could wear
Lederhosen or would have a little mustache ;-) Or something like that.

It's an idea worth trying it, but you need a convincing story. For
example you could write a whole episode and send it to the producers. If
it is _good_ they will perhaps use it. But it is much work, especially
if it was not good in the end ;-) And you still have to make them read
the script (I heard publishing houses for example won't read books
scripts you send to them in most cases).

Marcus Buck

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From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.22 (02) [E/LS]

From: Mike Wintzer <k9mw at yahoo.com <mailto:k9mw at yahoo.com>>
> Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.20 (03) [LS]
>
>     Marcus wrote:
>
>     Opsehn. In de Medien wesen. Dat helpt. Dat wiest de Lüüd, de betherto
>     kene Aktivisten wesen sünd, dat se nich alleen sünd, de trurig sünd,
>     wenn en Spraak weg is. Dat gifft Mood.
>
> Let me grab the bull by the horns, Marcus: What about defining an
> immediate goal (e.g. Ortsschilder or Lehrpläne or radio/TV)) and undertake
> media-effective actions until the goal is achieved. E.g. activists chain
> themselves to the entrances of the parlament buildings in, say, Kiel or
> Hannover. I live far away, my base is in Occitània (commonly known as
> Southern France), right now I live in Florida, but for this I would come
> to LS immediately. Do you think, Marcus, we could get together a core
> of a sufficient number of activists to undertake such action.?
> I am serious.
> Mike Wintzer
'Keen schall disse Lüüd tohoophöden? Who will take care about gathering
such people? It will be much, much work. Most people who are active for
Low Saxon culture are no "angry young men". For example the Bundesrat
für Niederdeutsch (Federal Council for Low German) cannot attend most of
the Low Saxon events, conferences etc. cause: there is no funding for
the petrol, the council members need to drive to those events. You say,
you would doa intercontinental flight for it, but even politically
engaged Low Saxons like the council members won't drive 100 or 200 km
without getting the money for petrol back.*
*
> From: R. F. Hahn < sassisch at yahoo.com <mailto:sassisch at yahoo.com>>
> Subject: Language politics
>
> Folks,
>
> I feel that those of you that don't read Low Saxon need to be
> periodically briefed on what's going on in this thread.
>
> People have been talking about their frustrations with the average
> North German's passivity (in conjunction with administrative
> roadblocks) when it comes to improving the status and thus the
> survival chances of Low Saxon under German domination. The consensus
> appears to be that increased visibility of the language would go a
> long way in generating encouragement to use the language.
>
> I think it was Marcus who pointed out that some activists of Cornish
> -- a language in much more dire straits but with an admirably active
> language revival lobby -- now offer a free service of translating
> short texts into Cornish. It is this that tickles our fancy right now
> with regard to Low Saxon. So, what would be needed is a band of
> volunteers (preferably representing the basic dialect groups, since
> there is no general standard) that come up with Low Saxon translations
> people request. These could be brief texts for signs, websites,
> t-shirts, placards, posters, slogans, etc.
>
> Regards,
> Reinhard/Ron

It was Heiko, who pointed out that. The INS and the Plattdütskbüro do
help with translations too. And Low Saxon Wikipedia will help too, if
somebody does ask there ;-)

For example the company Ashampoo in Oldenburg translated their Burning
Studio into East Frisian Low Saxon with the help of the Plattdütskbüro.
So there are places to go, if somebody needs translation help. But
perhaps a joint effort would be good, a web site especially designed for
that purpose. And with support from the main institutions like INS,
Plattdütskbüro or the Eastfalian Institute. Perhaps a place connecting
other projects too, which are engaged in translating to Low Saxon (KDE
op Platt for example, or the various translators of stageplays for
amateur theaters).

Marcus Buck

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From: "M.-L. Lessing" <marless at gmx.de>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.22 (05) [LS]

Leve Enno, Heiko, leven Lüüd,

ik wöör dorbi ween, wull'k man bloots seggen. Ok bi dat Översetten vun lütte
Texte. Ik bün nich good in, luut op de Pauke to haun, un dat Feddern in en
egen Saak kost mi Överwinnen (dat Feddern för annere fallt us alle lichter,
dücht mi :-)); man wenn dat för so en gode Saak as uns Spraak is, do ik
geern, wat ik kann.

Marlou

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From: "M.-L. Lessing" <marless at gmx.de>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.09.22 (05) [LS]

P.S. Enno: Wat is denn de basige Domainnaam, den Du in'n Kopp hest?
Plattopia.de <http://plattopia.de/> heff ik al ;-)) Reserveer Di dat gau,
ehrdat da wat mallöört!

Marlou
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