<br>L O W L A N D S - L - 23 February 2007 - Volume 01<br><br>=========================================================================<br><br>From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>
><br>Subject: Language politics<br><br>Below please find a copy of an article published in the latest edition of EUROLANG (<a href="http://www.eurolang.net/">www.eurolang.net/</a>). Within our focus, it pertains to Dutch (Western Flemish), marginally also to Alsatian.
<br><br>Below that there is an article pertaining to Frisian.<br><br>Finally, there is an article about Scotlands language policy.<br><br>Which reminds me of what I heard about Britain's latest law (proposal?) according to which immigrants are to be tested for English proficiency. I thought that the United Kingdom (like the USA) doesn't have an official language. If so, how can such a law be enacted? The same sort of gray zone exists in the USA where immigrants are given English tests as a part of the naturalization process. From a practical standpoint this may make sense. But it seems to me that there is a legal problem here, and I am surprised that the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) or immigrants' associations have not challenged this in a court of law.
<br><br>Have a good weekend!<br><br>Regards,<br>Reinhard/Ron<br><br>***<br style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">
EBLUL France calls for the official recognition of France's regional languages</span><br><br>
Brussel - Bruxelles, Friday, 16 February 2007<span class="small"> by Davyth Hicks <br></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">EBLUL
France and the Association des Rencontres des langues et cultures
régionales ou minoritaires have launched an online petition calling on
the French presidential candidates for the official recognition of
France's regional languages. </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">The petition calls for "the right to education about (and in) the
regional language and culture, the right to day-long state sponsored
radio and TV channels and to create a climate of respect for regional
languages."</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">In order to achieve this the petitioners are
calling for the French state to conform to international law on the
issue, to a modification of the French constitution so as to give
official recognition to its regional languages, to ratify the European
Charter for Regional of Minority Languages, and to give the regional
governments that have regional languages the means to develop them.</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">The
petition comes in the wake of comments in January from the far right
Front National MEP, Marine le Pen, who on France 5 'Ripostes' programme
described "bilingualism as a handicap to integration", and which Breton
activists have said has led to several bilingual signs in Brittany
having the Breton section of the sign defaced. Such incidents
highlight the fact that none of France's regional language speakers
have any means of legal recourse in order to ensure the promotion and
development for their languages.</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Meanwhile, on March 17th there will be a demonstration on behalf of Occitan in Beziers. (Eurolang 2007)</div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Language rights petition <a href="http://www.desdroitspournoslangues.org/index.html">http://www.desdroitspournoslangues.org/index.html</a></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Occitan demonstration <a href="http://manifestar.online.fr/">http://manifestar.online.fr/</a><br></div><br>***<br><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">
New Dutch education minister attacks both Frisian and multilingualism in the European Parliament</span><br><br>
Ljouwert, Fryslân, Thursday, 15 February 2007<span class="small"> by Onno P. Falkena </span>
<br><br>Frisian activists have expressed their disappointment with the
surprise appointment of social democrat Ronald Plasterk, known for his
anti-Frisian language views, as the new Dutch Minister of Education,
Culture and Science. <br></div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">When Mr Plastersk was the main columnist on the Dutch TV programme
'Buitenhof' a few years ago, he told viewers that it is impossible to
take Frisian seriously as a subject at school. "Isn't it strange that
pupils in Friesland are allowed to muddle through in their dialect,
instead of choosing a serious object like biology?'' Said Plasterk, a
microbiologist himself, on television. "I am not opposed to Frisian, as
long as everyone understands that this language is just a fairytale.
Frisian is Dutch with a phonetic orthography and a dialectal
pronuncation.''</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Plasterk's view, however, contradicts the
official position of the new Dutch cabinet, which states that the
Frisian language will continue to enjoy the same status and amount of
support. </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">"As soon as we heard about the appointment of
Plasterk, we realised that he is bad news for the Frisian language'',
explains Johannes Kramer, the Frisian National Party leader. According
to Kramer, Plasterk will not have the power to hurt the position of
Frisian, which has been layed down in legislation, but he might
complicate things. In the Netherlands the Fryslân Province and the
Dutch Government share responsibility for the teaching of Frisian. Both
parties recently reached an agreement about a new approach for the
teaching of Frisian. "In this agreement the minister of education is an
important partner. The appointment of a new minister with such a
negative attitude does not help'', Kramer adds.</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Apart
from declaring Frisian a "fairytale" Mr. Plasterk seems to lack any
understanding or sympathy for the multilingual reality of the European
Parliament. Last Sunday Plasterk argued in his column, entitled
'Babylon in Brussel', that the European Parliament should not be
entrusted with more power unless it agrees to use English as its only
means of communication. "There are no other international organisations
where the partners do not agree to speak one common language, which is
usually English. The European Parliament is a circus with its 25
languages. The only reason they do this is machoism. The French do not
want to be less than the English, the Spanish follow their example. It
is childish behaviour, nothing else.'' (Eurolang 2007)</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Plasterk's column on Frisian<br><a href="http://www.vpro.nl/data/2137119/item.shtml?2723031">
http://www.vpro.nl/data/2137119/item.shtml?2723031</a> (Dutch only)</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Omrop Fryslan website of the Frisian broadcaster (Frisian, Dutch, English)
<br><a href="http://www.omropfryslan.nl/">http://www.omropfryslan.nl</a> </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br>Plasterk's article 'Babylon in Brussel' <a href="http://www.vpro.nl/programma/buitenhof/afleveringen/32325271/items/33160575/">
http://www.vpro.nl/programma/buitenhof/afleveringen/32325271/items/33160575/</a> (Dutch only)<br></div><br>***<br><br><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scots and Gaelic-speakers disappointed over Languages Strategy for Scotland
</span><br><br>
Glaschu - Glasgow, Tuesday, 13 February 2007<span class="small"> by Màrtainn MacLeòid </span><br><span class="small"></span><br><span class="small"></span></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">The Scottish Executive is currently seeking views on Scotland's
first ever languages strategy which it says "aims to raise the profile
of the diverse languages spoken in Scotland, to ensure that Scotland's
linguistic heritage is recognized as a national resource and to
encourage citizens to learn languages other than their own."</div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br>The Strategy for Scotland's Languages emphasises the need to
equip all Scots with fluent English language skills, not Scots or
Gaelic, as well as promoting linguistic diversity and multilingualism
including British Sign Language and ethnic community languages. Instead
it proposes the "protection and promotion of Gaelic", as well as a
pledge that the Scots language will be treated with "pride and
respect." The importance of promoting more effective learning of major
world languages through schools and both further and higher education
is also stressed. </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">The strategy has proved to be a
disappointment for Scots and Gaelic language activists and to those
involved in language development in general. </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Controversially,
the document contends that Scots is not an endangered language. This
statement has met with concern from Scots activists who feel that this
may be an excuse by the Executive for inaction rather than an honest
celebration of the language's vitality. </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">While Culture
Minister, Patricia Ferguson, has stated that the strategy aims to
provide a "coherent approach to guide the development of languages in
Scotland", the document has been criticized for failing to make any
significant new provision for Scotland's languages. No new initiatives
or expenditure are announced for either Scots or Gaelic.<br> <br>Concern
has also been expressed as to its timing. Despite being a manifesto
pledge of the current Executive, elected in 2003, it has been published
just three months before the next Scottish Parliament election which is
to be held in May and which makes the strategy vulnerable to any
reshuffle or change of emphasis within the governing parties or any
change in administration following the election. </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Reacting
to the draft strategy, Michael Hance, director of the Scots Language
Centre, said: "I have examined the proposals in the strategy today and
can't understand why the Executive has taken four years to produce this
document. From the point of view of the Scots language, apart from the
numerous errors of fact, there appears to be very little on offer that
doesn't exist already".</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Language policy specialist Dr.
Wilson McLeod of Edinburgh University similarly stated: "The
Executive's languages strategy is seriously disappointing. It doesn't
even deserve to be called a 'strategy', which implies some kind of
coordinated plan and a designated goal or destination. This document is
simply a list of various things the Executive is doing already, most of
which are inadequate to meet the needs of the language communities or
languages learners involved."</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">The consultation process on the Strategy for Scotland's Languages runs until March 19. (Eurolang 2007)</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Links: </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Scottish Executive consultation paper <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/24130746/0">
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/24130746/0</a></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">Scots Language Centre <a href="http://www.scotslanguage.com/">www.scotslanguage.com</a>
</div><br>***<br><br>