LL-L "Language politics" 2008.07.05 (07) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 05 July 2008 - Volume 07
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From: Mike Wintzer <k9mw at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2008.07.04 (06) [E]

Hi all,

re differences between LS and OC:
for your info, in OC we have schools
(called Calandreta) that immerse
kids in Occitan from age 3 to 11
(5th class). I got 2 calendrons myself.

I have asked number of my LS compatriots
what they think (among other things)
about this. I got only head shakes...
Tschüß, Mike Wintzer

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language politics

Mike,

Let's also mention that at present the only way Occitan and any other
indigenous language of France can be taught in French schools is as a *foreign
*language. I understand that not doing so can result in withholding of state
funding. Does it have other consequences, such as problems with
accreditation?

We have to remember that we're expecting a 200 year old law and resulting
indoctrination to change overnight. The French Revolution came with
formalization of this. Henri Grégoire's influential report (June 4, 1794)
"Rapport sur la Nécessité et les Moyens d'anéantir les Patois et
d'universaliser l'Usage de la Langue française" ("Report on the necessity
and means to annihilate the *patois *and to universalize the use of the
French language") came to set the tone for 200 years, still being defended
by the Académie française, not only in France but also in French Polynesia
(where a law of 1996 has an extra clause saying that Polynesian languages
such as Tahitian "may be used"). I believe that pretty much the same is the
case in Mayotte, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon,
and New Caledonia. Wallis and Futuna is the only French "overseas
collectivity" that made two indigenous languages official besides French:
Wallisian ('Uvean, *Fakaʻ'uvea*) and Futunan (*Fakafutuna*), both Polynesian
languages. I wonder how they got away with that.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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