<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Crhahn%5CLocal%20Settings%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:SimSun;
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;
mso-font-alt:宋体;
mso-font-charset:134;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"\@SimSun";
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;
mso-font-charset:134;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
span.hccdpe
{mso-style-name:hccdpe;}
span.ep8xu
{mso-style-name:ep8xu;}
span.ldacoc
{mso-style-name:ldacoc;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">===========================================<br>
L O W L A N D S - L - 12 November 2008 - Volume 02<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
Please set the encoding mode to Unicode (UTF-8).<br>
If viewing this in a web browser, please click on<br>
the html toggle at the bottom of the archived page <br>
and switch your browser's character encoding to Unicode.</span><br>
===========================================</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><br>
From: <span class="ep8xu"><span style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);">Luc Hellinckx</span></span><span class="hccdpe"> </span><span class="ldacoc"><<a href="mailto:luc.hellinckx@gmail.com">luc.hellinckx@gmail.com</a>></span><br>
Subject: <span class="hccdpe">LL-L "Language politics"</span><br>
<br>
Beste Ron,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">You wrote:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 40px;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" lang="AF">Luxemburgs word ook in die media gebruik. Dis
die nasionaaltaal en een van drie offisieël tale van Luxembourg. Alhoewel dit
as 'n Duits dialek beskou sou word het dit die status van taal en dit word
offisieël nie ondergeskik onder Duits of Fraans nie. In werklikheid mag baie
mense steeds in sekere konteks Duits of Fraans verkies. (Snobisme? Duits en/of
Fraans indoktrinasie dat Luxembourg nie 'n kultuurtaal kan wees?) Maar
Luxemburgs het ten minste die toestemming, die potensiaal om in die toekoms in
almal konteks op die selfde of 'n hoër vlak te wees. As 'n dialek sou dit
hierdie toestemming en hierdie potensiaal nie hê nie.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;" lang="NL"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Wat is het toch fijn om advokaat van de duivel te spelen
hé? *s*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Het is precies de sterkte van een dialect dat het in relatie
tot een standaardtaal een geuzenrol kan spelen. Being substandard has its
merits. Kijk maar naar de punkbeweging, "outlaws" als Robin Hood,
martelaren, ghetto speak... Ook voor underdogs moet er ruimte blijven. Als je
dialect daarentegen verheft tot officiële status, dwing je het in een keurslijf
zodat het zijn plastische spankracht en wetteloosheid verliest: dan heb je door
formalisering een dialect verkracht. Oneigenlijk gebruik heet dat. Je hebt het
zijn natuurlijke organische voedingsbodem ontnomen, want officieel worden,
brengt nooit alleen rechten maar ook plichten mee. En zelfs al zou het alleen
maar rechten opleveren, dan nog heb je het ingekapseld. Dialecten groeien
spontaan uit tot standaardtaal...of niet. So be it. Promotie kan gebeuren door
bewezen diensten: die moeten eerst komen, niet omgekeerd. En als die
"bewezen diensten" er zijn, dan mogen voor mijn part taalarchitecten
hun spelletje naar hartelust spelen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Als iemand een wetenschappelijk paper of dissertatie
opzettelijk in een taal schrijft die maar door twee man en een paardenkop
gesproken wordt, dan gaat hij/zij volledig voorbij aan het eerste doel van
publicatie: gelezen worden. Het hermetisch karakter van dergelijk schrijfsel
zou bij mij onmiddellijk een reflex oproepen van: Wat heeft die man/vrouw te
verbergen? Voor die persoon lijkt vorm belangrijker dan inhoud. Dat kan in
wetenschap nooit een hoofddoel zijn.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Als in een gezelschap van 5 mensen er twee steevast onder
elkaar hun eigen dialect blijven praten terwijl ze weten dat de anderen dat
niet verstaan, en terwijl ze alle vijf toch gemeenschappelijke belangen en een
gemeenschappelijke taal bezitten, dan is "taalparticularisme"
helemaal niet iets om fier op te zijn, maar eerder een vorm van
"extremisme". Een taal officieel maken is eerder de verschillen dan
de overeenkomsten benadrukken: ik dacht dat zo'n discriminerende mentaliteit in
onze 21ste-eeuwse holistische wereld niet meer kon? Tussen haakjes, voor mij is
de 21ste eeuw in 2008 begonnen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 40px; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="AF">P.S.: Ek hou heeltemal nie van die hiërargies
gebasseer Europies konsep "kultuurtaal" nie. :-( Almal
tale is gebasseer op kulture.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Klopt. Ik hou ook niet van het begrip
"kultuurtaal"...maar...een dialect tot officiële taal verheffen
betekent precies een structuur aanbrengen binnen een verzameling talen. Al is
die hiërarchie niet-piramidaal toch blijft het een hiërarchie. Dan ben je nog
beter met het Amerikaanse systeem van geen officiële taal te hebben...om ruzie
te vermijden. Al blijft het op mij zeer kunstmatig overkomen dat de VS Engels
niet als officiële taal heeft...en Israël wel. *s*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Vriendelijke groetjes,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">Luc Hellinckx</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">PS: Zojuist een liedje van Alain Stivell gehoord in het
Bretoens...for some reason, deed de klankkleur mij erg aan Hebreeuws denken.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL">PPS: Van zodra het establishment een beweging integreert
is die bijna per definitie mak...en op sterven na dood. Als ze die niet kunnen
of willen integreren is het vaak omdat de beweging nog veel te wild en
levensvatbaar is.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><br>
----------<br>
<br>
From: <span class="ep8xu"><span style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25);">Mike Wintzer</span></span><span class="hccdpe"> </span><span class="ldacoc"><<a href="mailto:k9mw@yahoo.com">k9mw@yahoo.com</a>></span><br>
Subject: <span class="hccdpe">LL-L "Language politics" 2008.11.11 (03)
[A]</span><br>
<br>
Hoi allemaal,<br style="">
<br style="">
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Good
reading that, Ron and Petrus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I see a
realist arguing with an idealist.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Ron feels -
and emotionally I tend to side with him - that as soon as a "dialekt"
has acquired sufficiently distinct characteristics supporting a distinct
cultural identity, it should be preserved.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">But how far
should that go? In vernacular areas in particular, it can be argued that each
village has a distinct cultural identity supported by a distinct language
variety, (vocabulary etc..)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Petrus
argues that the more languages is splintered like that, the more its parts are
weakened, threatened by extinction. With a common roof each part is much
stronger. Ron fears that this would tend to wash out the individual dialekt traits
losing the richness of varieties.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">But how far
should roofing go? How far can languages be apart and still fiit under a</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">common
roof?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">The case at
hand (ABN vs. Afrikaans) seems to me to be a borderline case. The layman that I
am I can only state that with my knowlwdge of ABN I can fluently read Afrikaans
without the slightest hesitations. Does that make the two come under the same
roof`?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Maybe we
should resign to the fact that regrouping or splitting, all smaller languages are
bound to disappear in the long run.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Sadly, Mike
Wintzer</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><br>
----------<br>
<br>
From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>
Subject: Language politics<br>
<br>
Thanks, guys, especially for the English summary, Mike.<br>
<br>
My main argument has been that an officially recognized language enjoys more
protection than does a dialect, that the borderlines between standard dialect
and non-standard dialect tend to be blurry and easily movable, whereas a
language tends to have or to aspire to its own, independent standard.<br>
<br>
Directly or by implication I have been arguing that for a number of reasons,
and notwithstanding a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Dutch,
Afrikaans has acquired and formalized its own grammatical and written standards
as well as a rich Africa-specific terminology. While Dutch-speaking Europe may
think of it as a subset of Dutch, the majority of Afrikaans speakers in Africa do not share this view. They much rather view
Afrikaans as an African sister language of Dutch whose standard and quality ought
not be judged by Dutch.<br>
<br>
Much of this has to do with self-identity and with pride in "Afrikaners"' own,
mostly European-descended but meanwhile thoroughly non-European-colored
heritage. Much of this is rooted in their historical struggle for survival, first
under immediately European-directed Dutch colonial power (headed by the Dutch
East India Company), then during struggles with various Nguni nations during
migration treks north (seeking refuge from Dutch power), then under British
power and oppression during which their supposed Dutch brethren offered them no
protection, a situation which fired up "Boer" nationalism amongst them and
eventually led to the establishment and rise of an extremist nationalist regime.
Now that most "Afrikaners" are willing and trying to be an integral, equal part
of Southern Africa they find themselves discriminated against again in various
ways, and the currently partly lawless situation in South Africa makes life
very hard for them (and for most others). In Namibia, their language is no
longer official. In South
Africa it is but tends to be neglected. Yes,
the Netherlands
government occasionally appeals to the South African government on behalf of
Afrikaans, but those are diplomatic token attempts, and I have seen nothing
come of them.<br>
<br>
It doesn't matter what you and I think, the argument I am trying to make here
from a compassionate standpoint is that, considering the above and much more,
it is not surprising that there are attitudes among "Afrikaners" that are
influenced by a feeling of being both beleaguered and victimized by hostile
forces and neglected by those that profess to be their European home nation. You
must also consider that a large portion of early European settlers (especially
the <i>voortrekkers</i>) in Southern Africa were fiercely independent people
that sought refuge from the injustices (such as religious discrimination and persecution) they
had encountered in Europe, much like the "Pilgrims" of eastern North America
and descendents of convicts in Australia (many of whom had really been deported
as political prisoners). Furthermore, many of those early settlers that came to
be integrated into the emerging Afrikaans-speaking nation where not Dutch
speakers or even Low Saxon speakers but were French speakers (Huguenots,
another population that was persecuted in Europe), Malays (former slaves), indigenous
Khoi-San and many others that had no reason to feel Dutch, people that
influenced "Afrikaner" language and culture further by helping to develop a rich
inventory of Africaans-specific terminology as well as Afrikaans-rooted
neologisms not adopted by Dutch; e.g. <br>
<br>
<i>baber</i> 'African catfish' (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i>)<br>
<i>baster-haak-en-steek</i> '<i>Acacia luederitzii</i>'<br>
<i>bougenootskap</i> 'mortgage bank' (< German <i>Baugenossenschaft</i>)<br>
<i>bruismeel</i> 'self-rising flour'<br>
<i>drukkie</i> 'hug'<br>
<i>fliek</i> 'movie'<br>
<i>grondboontjiebotter</i> 'peanut butter' (< English)<br>
<i>halfmens</i> '<i>Pachypodium namaquanum</i>'<br>
<i>hysbak</i> 'elevator'<br>
<i>indaba</i> 'council', 'powwow' (< Zulu)<br>
<i>kaf</i> 'nonsense'<br>
<i>kameeldoring</i> > 'camel thorn', 'giraffe thorn' (<i>Acacia erioloba</i>)<br>
<i>kameelperd</i> 'giraffe'<br>
<i>kasaterwater</i> 'weak brew'<br>
<i>katjiepiering</i> 'gardenia' (< Malay <i>kacapiring</i>)<br>
<i>klapper</i> 'coconut' (< Malay <i>kelapa</i>)<br>
<i>kontrapsie</i> 'contraption' (< English)<br>
<i>kopvel</i> 'scalp'<br>
<i>langarm</i> 'free dance style'<br>
<i>malva</i> 'geranium'<br>
<i>melkskommel</i> 'milkshake' (< English)<br>
<i>mielie(s)</i> 'corn', 'maize'<br>
<i>muggie</i> 'midget'<br>
<i>opelyf</i> 'bowel movement'<br>
<i>oupagrootjie</i> 'great-grandfather'<br>
<i>padda</i> 'frog'<br>
<i>pata(a)t</i> 'sweet potato' (< Portuguese?)<br>
<i>piesang</i> 'banana' (< Malay <i>pisang</i>)<br>
<i>plaashuis</i> 'estate residence', 'farmhouse'<br>
<i>plonk</i> 'bad wine' (< English)<br>
<i>pomelo</i> 'grapefruit' (< Portuguese?)<br>
<i>pynappel</i> 'pineapple (< English)<br>
<i>rak</i> 'rack', 'shelf' (< English)<br>
<i>ruskamer</i> 'restroom' (< English)<br>
<i>sangoma</i> 'shaman', 'witchdoctor' (< Nguni)<br>
<i>seekat</i> 'octopus'<br>
<i>seekoei</i> 'hippopotamus'<br>
<i>sokkerspan</i> 'soccer team'<br>
<i>spanspek</i> '(sweet) melon'<br>
<i>sypaadjie</i> 'sidewalk' (< English)<br>
<i>takbestuurder</i> ;branch manager' (< English)<br>
<i>tjaila</i> 'to quit'<br>
<i>tjops</i> 'chops' (< English)<br>
<i>treffer</i> 'hit (song, performance)' (< German <i>Treffer</i>)<br>
<i>trekklavier</i> 'accordion'<br>
<i>varktjop</i> 'pork chop' (< English)<br>
<i>verbruiker</i> 'consumer' (< German <i>Verbraucher</i>)<br>
<i>verkleurmannetjie</i> 'chameleon'<br>
<i>waarborg</i> 'guarantee', 'warrantee'<br>
<i>wegnemetjies</i> 'take-away food' (< English?)<br>
<i>witblits</i> 'special type of strong liquor'<br>
<i>witgatboom</i> 'shepherd's tree' (<i>Boscia albitrunca</i>)<br>
<i>X-strale</i> 'X-ray' (< English)<br>
<i>ystervark</i> 'porcupine'<br>
<br>
And it is not really just a matter of vocabulary but also one of idiomatic usage
and style. While it is fairly easy for those that know Dutch to read Afrikaans
texts on "neutral" topics such as this one, I invite everyone to read and
listen to Afrikaans narratives dealing with life in Southern Africa, especially
in traditional settings such as rural areas, and I guarantee you that you'll be
wondering about many an expression and will be asking for a dictionary.<br>
<br>
More than half of today's ca. 6.5 million Afrikaans speakers are only partly of
European descent and a small portion is of purely African descent. Many of them
are not Christian. For various reasons, many South Africans are now
emigrating to other parts of the world (and some of them are only partly of European descent). Sure, many go to the Netherlands,
and it is only to be expected that many of those try to seek to reconnect their
language with Dutch. I have spoken and corresponded with some that emigrated to
the USA, Canada, Germany
and Australia,
and all of those, while acknowledging the closeness with Dutch, see Afrikaans
as its own entity and they do not consider themselves overseas Dutch. In this
light, I say that it is not important what you and I think, but what counts is
what the majority of Afrikaans speakers thinks. As far as I am informed, the
majority of them embraces the idea that Afrikaans is uniquely African despite
its European roots.<br>
<br>
It would be an unprecedented act of demotion to turn back the clock by making
Afrikaans a dialect of Dutch, thus ignoring the fact that it has developed its
own standard variety (whatever you may think about it).<br>
<br>
Without having learned it I can understand Luxembourgish very well, and, yes,
linguistically speaking there's a strong argument in favor of it "merely" being
a Moselle Central Frankish dialect of German. However, the people of Luxembourg
have decided to make it one of their official languages. Given a system in
which there are language policies, who are we to argue with that? Most
Luxembourgers are happy with it. In actual fact, though relatively few books
are published in Luxembourgish, it predominates in broadcasting, simply because
it is the predominant everyday language of the country. For this reason it has
been given the status of national language, German and French being co-official
languages. My argument has been that, while especially German currently
predominates in "serious" discourse and in the printed media, Luxembourgish,
thanks to its official status, has at least in theory the potential of coming
to predominate in all areas in the future. Realistically speaking, it would not
have this potential if it were considered "merely" a dialect of German. This is
what you see in the German-speaking part of Belgium where originally
predominant Meuse-Rhenish Central Frankish has no official status under
Standard German and the number of dialect speakers is dwindling.<br>
<br>
Luc, are you suggesting that theses and dissertations should be written only in
English and perhaps a handful of other languages with international currency?
Would that not be elitist (considering that active command of a foreign
language does not necessarily determine one's degree-worthiness)? What would that
say about languages that are not part of this, and what would it do to their
status and image? German might be on the edge, and Dutch would have to be
labeled "obscure" then. But theses and dissertations are written in those and
in many other languages without the authors intending to "hide something."
"Obscure" is very often in the eye of the beholder. Some may consider Chinese
obscure seen from where they are sitting, or Hindi and Bengali although they
are used by very large numbers of people. Technical writing should be at least within
the potential of any language, and what is better to prove this than a thesis
or a dissertation? This may be one of the reasons why many universities prefer
them to be presented in the main languages of their respective countries with summaries
in English, French or such. Being used by ca. 6.5 million people and being one
of the officially used languages in certain South African universities,
Afrikaans is used in theses and dissertations. Besides, those who know Dutch
can read those texts with relatively few problems. Theses and dissertations are
presented for example in Croatian (6.2 mil. speakers), Slovak (6 mil.), Danish
(6 mil.), Norwegian (4.5 mil.), Slovene (2.4 mil.) and Icelandic (0.33 mil.).
So why not Afrikaans (6.5 mil.)?<br>
<br>
Luc, I think there is something to be said for and against both systems:
language policies and no language policies. If you have no language policies
(as in the US) you have a clear case of survival of the fittest. If you do have
language policies one would hope that they are fair and do not afford status
and protection to favored languages only, a tactic usually used to bring about
linguistic, cultural and ethnic homogeneity.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Reinhard/Ron<br>
<br>
----------<br>
<br>
From: <span class="ep8xu"><span style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);">Jonny</span></span></span><span class="hccdpe"> </span><span class="ldacoc"><<a href="mailto:jonny.meibohm@arcor.de">jonny.meibohm@arcor.de</a>></span><br>
Subject: <span class="hccdpe">LL-L "Language Politics"</span><br>
<br>
This information I got from Piet Bult:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: teal;" lang="NL">OLDEBERKOOP - De Stellingwerfse streektaal is
als Nedersaksische taal hard op weg onder deel III van het Europees Handvest
terecht komen. Hiermee komt het op hetzelfde niveau als het Fries al regionale
taal. Dit maakte burgemeester Gerard van Klaveren maandagavond bekend tijdens
de raadsvergadering, waarbij de begroting werd besproken. Het Europees Handvest
voor regionale talen of talen van minderheden is in 1992 vastgesteld om deze
talen te beschermen en promoten en het gebruik ervan te stimuleren. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: teal;" lang="NL">Het Nedersaksisch valt al onder deel II van
het verdrag en is daarmee erkend als regionale taal. Het Fries is de enige
regionale taal in Nederland die ook onder deel III valt, waarmee het de hoogste
erkenning heeft die een streektaal kan krijgen. Volgens Van Klaveren wordt er
momenteel flink gelobbyd om het Nedersaksisch ook deze status te geven. 'Het
ziet er zeer gunstig uit', liet hij weten. Mogelijk is er over een half jaar
meer zekerheid. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: teal;" lang="NL">Gerard Van Klaveren is borgemeister van
Stellingwarf-Westaende.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="NL"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Jonny
Meibohm</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>