LL-L "Language politics" 2010.11.30 (08) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 30 November 2010 - Volume 08
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From: Hellinckx Luc <luc.hellinckx at gmail.com>

Subject: LL-L "Language politics"



Beste Marcus,



You wrote:

So the "inferior" communities constantly loose their elite to the "superior"
communities. This brain-drain will continue until the "inferior" language
community collapses (Low Saxon has reached this stadium, the African
languages will last many more decades [if they will reach this point at all,
I hope they won't]).

To stop the vicious circle you have to ignore their current lack of
"beskawing" and take measures to help them develop the same status as the
"superior" language community. Like a university for each language community
that brings together the elite of the language community and educates them
using their native language. Support programmes that stimulate the creation
of native language educational materials. Financial incentives to use the
native language in cultural production.

As soon as it is financially interesting to produce native language content,
native language content will be produced. As soon as native language content
will be produced, native language content will be consumed. If you create
the right incentives you will thereby start a positive self-inducing
current-loop of cultural production and education.



I doubt if even that would be enough. Look at what happens to a
"power-language" like French:



Why French Scholars Love U.S. Colleges - Room for Debate -
NYTimes.com<http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/11/28/why-french-scholars-love-us-colleges>



French scholars leaving France for the States, even though French is still
pretty dominant within France (mildly speaking here ;=)).



Sure, language itself is (probably) not the main reason for this brain
drain...but...you can't just separate a language from the rest of the
culture. Point is if the local populace don't like their native culture, it
will still go down the drain anyway, including the language that is. On the
other hand, local rolemodels can play a significant role...but you do need
many of those. They have to be powerful, clever, sexy or rich...and
preferably all of this at the same time ;=) A concerted, well-coordinated
and long lasting effort, promoting local culture, may then change
attitudes...for a while.



Just fighting another language/culture is of little use these days in my
opinion, people are so much more mobile for instance. Therefore, a seductive
stance seems better...then absorb and finally transform foreign
influence...in other words: learn from your "opponent", and use his force
for your own benefit.



Kind greetings,



Luc Hellinckx, Halle, Belgium



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