LL-L "Culture" 2008.06.30 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 30 June 2008 - Volume 03
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From: jonny <jonny.meibohm at arcor.de>
Subject: LL-L "Culture" 2008.06.29 (04) [E]

Beste Marcus,

in your last posting you quoted Ina Müller:

> I actually think it is hip at the moment to boost cult icons. For example
the FC St. Pauli [local soccer club of Hamburg which has a devoted
> followership that tries to stand off the more mainstream Hamburger SV].
Their T-shirts with the skulls and bones are a hit even in Denmark.
> Or look at the band Fettes Brot. In their age group they are cult just
like the comic character Werner Beinhart for the older ones is. And Low
> Saxon too is in this category. That's shown by the popularity of our
shows. It's got a drive of it's own. Maybe cause it feels younger and more >
 modern with us. Even the Ohnsorg-Theater is playing more modern plays now.

But the interview went on:

*(quote)*
*Question of the interviewer:* "Der globalisierte Mensch auf der Suche nach
einer Heimat oder einer Abgrenzung?"["The globalized people looking for a
home or distinction?"]

*Answer of Mr. Dibaba:* "So hoch würde ich das nicht hängen. Vielleicht ist
es auch nur ganz schlicht ein Trend, mit dem sich gut Geld verdienen
lässt."['I wouldn't overprice it. Perhaps it is just a trend to earn
good money."]
*(unquote)*

And that's it where 'our' Ina Müller is really capable- I have no doubt
about it!
But some doubts are coming when I hear her words imply that she grew up with
LS as her main language- she is born A.D 1965, and then even in Köhlen (a
village near Bremerhaven, Germany) people normally could speak Standard
German ;-)... Maybe she grew up within a mixture of LS and Northern German
dialect and just was unable to learn both languages:

*(quote)*
*Question:*
Auffällig bei Ihnen beiden ist, dass Sie ausgerechnet mit einer Sprache
Karriere machen, die eigentlich als Karrierekiller gilt. Oder haben Sie
andere Erfahrungen gemacht? [For both of you it is noticeable that you made
your carreers with a language looked upon as a carreer killer. Or did you
make different experiences?]

*Answer of Mrs. Müller:*

Nicht wirklich. Als ich damals an die Schule im nächsten größeren Ort *
wechselte*, da war es für uns nach Kuhstall *stinkenden* Dörfler, mit
Plattdeutsch *geschlagen*, nicht wirklich lustig. Das ist kein Vorwurf an
meine Eltern, um das gleich zu sagen, denen war es einfach egal, ob ihre
Kinder Plattdeutsch oder Hochdeutsch sprachen. Die haben über so etwas gar
nicht nachgedacht. Aber für ein Kind ist es schwierig, *plötzlich* Worte in
einer Sprache zu schreiben, die *total fremd* ist. Ein Albtraum. [Not
really. When I changed to a school in the neighboured bigger village, it
wasn't pleasant at all for us 'rednecks' with the smell of cow stables,
beaten with Low Saxon. I don't want to blame my parents ...; they didn't
mind us to talk either Low Saxon or Standard German. They didn't make any
thoughts about this. But for a child it is really difficult to write
abruptly in a totally strange language. A nightmare.]

*(unquote)*
Vulgar, stupid and with some inconsistency, for my humble opinion.

Once again Low Saxon gets moved into the 'Schmuddelecke' ['figurative place
for all that is considered dirty and taboo']. Or, not better but sounding
less cruel: Low Saxon just as a medium for 'Volksbelustigung' ['to make
people laugh']!?
But perhaps this curious and not at all new trend really will help to renew
Low Saxon in a very special way- "Geld regiert die Welt" ("money rules the
world")...

Meanwhile I don't care about this any longer.

Allerbest!

Jonny Meibohm

----------

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

Thanks, Jonny. I'm rather inclined to agree with your sentiments on the
whole.

I'm not in the business of trashing people, and I don't really know very
much about Ina Müller. However, I do know that an important part of her
shtik is abrasive, sharp-tongued, irreverent humor with strong feminist
overtones, sometimes spoofing "proper ladies." That's all fine and dandy,
and I approve of well-placed irreverent humor as long as it is not
mean-spirited and is not merely a put-on twist for cornering a commercial
market.

Aside from what you wrote, Jonny, the interview left a weird taste in my
mouth with regard to Ina, a co-interviewee, sometimes taking on the
interviewer's role by asking Yared questions and then making what seem like
value judgments about his responses on top of it.

Ina Müller:
Moment, bevor Du weiter erzählst, wenn ich reinkomme und sage, Moin, Moin,
dann sagst Du ...?
Just a sec. Before you go on ... When I enter and say, "Moin, moin," you say
...?

Dibaba:
Atam!
"Atam!"

(I would have said, "Moin, moin!" if I were him.)

Müller:
Komisches Wort. Atam hört sich für mich nach Attacke an: Atam, Atam! Moin,
moin ist viel schöner, runder.
Weird word. "Atam" sounds like an attack: "Atam, Atam!" "Moin, moin" is much
more beautiful, rounder.

And the point is ...? What does this value judgment have to do with the
price of tea in China? "My language is prettier than yours"? In my opinion,
these interjections are inappropriate and aggressive and don't exactly come
across as informed. The introduction to the interview talks about Yared
Dibaba being used to dealing with "strong women" next to him at work and
being able to hold his own. I have no problem whatsoever with "strong women"
as long as they know what they are talking about and don't act the fool.
Dibaba:
Und? Was willst Du uns damit sagen?
So? What is it you're trying to say?

Müller:
Dass Moin sich schöner anhört, mehr nicht. ...
That "Moin" sounds nicer. That's all. ...
Good for him!

Müller:
Die Kombination ist aber auch zu nett: Ein Schwarzer, der im Norden eine
Sendung moderiert, die "Die Welt op Platt" heißt.
The combination is totally cute: a black man moderating a northern program
called "Die Welt op Platt" ...

No one asked you, Ina! Leave it to the readers to deal with their own
prejudicial takes!

Yared, who belongs to an Oromo refugee family from Ethiopia, talks about
challenges he faced in school, and Ina butts in again ...

Müller:
Du Armer! Und dann mit diesem Sprachengewirr. Das war aber auch ganz schön
gemein von Deinen Eltern, Dich überall hinzuschleppen und diesem
Sprachen-Babylon auszusetzen. ...
You poor thing! And then this language jumble on top of it! It was totally
mean of your parents to drag you all over and expose you to this Bable
situation. ...
Asked if he uses Low Saxon in everyday life ...

Dibaba:
In Hamburg macht das kaum noch jemand. Außerdem ist meine Frau Portugiesin,
mein ältester Sohn kommt auf eine deutsche Schule, und wenn ich meine Leute
treffe, dann sprechen wir Oromo. Plattdeutsch brauche ich tatsächlich fast
nur noch fürs Fernsehen. Aber Du träumst doch wahrscheinlich sogar auf
Platt, oder, Ina?
Hardly anybody does so in Hamburg these days. Besides, my wife is
Portuguese, my oldest son is going to go to a German-speaking school, and I
speak Oromo when I get together with my people. I use Low Saxon mostly on TV
these days. I take it you dream in Low Saxon, Ina. Or?

Müller:
Stimmt. Vor allem aber denke ich auf Platt. Ich bin schließlich eine Frau.
That's right. But most importantly, I *think *in Low Saxon. I'm a woman,
after all.

(Excuse me?! Perhaps she should stop making fun of ditsy women, unless she
means to include herself.)

Dibaba:
Wie konnte ich vergessen: Ich denke nicht, also bin ich Mann. Danke für den
Hinweis.
How could I have forgotten that? I don't think; so me man. Thanks for the
hint.
Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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