LL-L "Language politics" 2012.05.17 (03) [EN]

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 L O W L A N D S - L - 17 May 2012 - Volume 03
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From: Brooks, Mark mark.brooks at twc.state.tx.us
 Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2012.05.17 (01) [EN]

Paul wrote: “I've never shared the view of most fellow English speakers
that I'm "lucky" to be born to the World Language; I think I'm hampered by
it.”



Paul,

It probably should be obvious to me how you would be hampered by speaking
the World Language as a native, but I can’t think of it. Would you please
tell me why you feel that way?



Regards,
Mark Brooks

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From: M.-L. Lessing marless at gmx.de
 Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2012.05.17 (01) [EN]

Thanks, dear Karen, for mentioning these two definitions of education and
the important difference. In german you would say "Bildung" and
"Ausbildung" for your first and second definition respectively. Especially
the first is a fine picturesque word of very german character -- "Bildung"
means the way a person (or thing, for that matter) is formed, molded,
structured, shaped. I don't know if you know german but you may hear the
word *Bild* (=picture) in it -- the result you see in the end. "Bilden" (to
educate) can be used both for physical objects and for immaterial things
like a person's mind. If a person is *ungebildet *that human is like a lump
of clay -- the materials are all there, but the forming forces have been
wanting as yet. If a person is very *gebildet *there has been a lot of
molding been going on, and you can perceive it on that person -- maybe by
the fineness and reflection of his or her surface or by the significance
and distinctiveness of curves, lines and angles of his or her character. I
love that word. Reading a good book may (trans)form your whole person --
without jazzing up your CV for the new job. But the latter is all that
counts. Invest a year in learning a new "small" language like Italian? That
means *losing *a year. Enjoy it?! Huh? A lost year, nonetheless. -- I will
never understand why all these people focused on efficiency who consider
forming your own mind -- *sich bilden* -- as losing time don't buy a coffin
this moment and kill themselves. It would be the most efficient way to
manage life -- a veritable triumph and pattern of efficiency! Because
that's where we are all destined. *Everything else* is losing time!
Everything but dying immediately is only an equivalent of learning Italian
-- disgusting digressions from our real purpose.

Oh, I forgot the One Great Distinction: making money. Things that make
money are no digressions of course; you may do such things before you die.
How could I forget! Seems I am a hopeless case.

These people run the world. And the world is looking like it. Makes me
sick. But how stop them?

Marlou

From: Schmitt, Karen schmittk at ohio.edu
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2012.05.16 (03) [EN]

... We have so sadly flipped these definitions [
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/education]:

1.

the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing
the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or
others intellectually for mature<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mature>
 life.
 2.
the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills,
 as for a profession.

And we are all poorer for it.

**
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