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L O W L A N D S - L - 17 December 2010 - Volume 04<br>
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From:
<span class="gd"><span style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25);">Mike Morgan</span></span><span class="gi"> </span><span class="go"><<a href="mailto:mwmbombay@gmail.com">mwmbombay@gmail.com</a>></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Subject:
<span class="gi">LL-L "Language survival" 2010.12.17 (01) [EN]</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">Sandy wrote:</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">That's just an excuse.</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"><br>
I totally agree. And, in my experience, where there is a will there is
(usually) a way.<br>
<br>
For example, papers from a conference on language contact held last year at the
Alliance ethio-française in Addis Ababa are about to go online. About 40% of
the papers delivered at the conference were in French, and the remaining 60% in
English. I assume for the published papers the percentages would have been the
same, except in fact ALL the papers will be published in English AND French.<br>
<br>
I seriously doubt there is a real NEED for the papers to be in both languages,
as the folks I know who work in contact linguistics could probably handle
either quite sufficiently. However, it is not a question of need, it is a
question of will, and the French government wills (i.,e. requires, since all
this has been sponsored and funded by the French government) that all papers be
published in French... and the "ALSO in English" part is, strictly
speaking, good will on their part.</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"><br>
Now, of course, the process is not perfect (for example, I have never been
shown the French version of my paper to check, nor in fact asked if I would
prefer to produce it myself). And, since I KNOW the English-French translator
is not an expert on Ethiopian Sign Language contact phenomena (since in this case
I know who the translator is), I am sure that not all the nuances of my paper
will get through correctly in the French version. But, c'est la vie! Sometimes
a less than perfect world is still okay.<br>
<br>
Now, I am aware that not every language has a force as formidable as French law
on its side, but still, that is a problem of will... and then finding a way.
For example, tshiVenda, maybe the 2nd smallest of the 11 official languages of South Africa,
still has a fair amount of material translated into it, material available in
other languages like English and Afrikaans that presumably would
"suffice", and the translation is done because it is WILLED by the
constitution and legal framework of the <i>Riphabuliki ya Afurika Tshipembe</i>.<br>
<br>
Anyway, getting back to the papers to be publsihed in French, it is also not
perfect because, personally, I would prefer my paper to be published in ANOTHER
of the languages of the Republique Française, to wit, Langue de Signes
Française (my paper is, after all, about sign languages)... and maybe also
Gascon béarnais! But the will of the French
Republic is not there
yet.... so much for égalité and fraternité!<br>
<br>
Just one last word: I consider it a shame that in fact, us linguists, are as
bad as the next fellow; most linguistics journals REQUIRE that all articles
submitted be in one or another specific language (or small subset of
languages). Surely, a LINGUISTICS journal worth its salt should be able to find
reviewers qualified to review an article written in ANY language. (though of
course I am biased in my belief that part of being a linguist IS knowing
languageS ;-)<br>
<br>
mwm || U C
> || Mike (aka Dr Michael W Morgan)<br>
===========================================================<br>
soon @ IGNOU-UCLan New Delhi, India ... Allah, YHWH & Ganesh willing<br>
===========================================================</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;">"I have
become my own version of an optimist. If I can't make it through one<br>
door, I'll go through another door - or I'll make a door. Something terrific
will <br>
come no matter how dark the present." (R. Tagore)</span></p>
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