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L O W L A N D S - L - 28 February 2011 - Volume 03<br>
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<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">From: <span class="gd"><span style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);">Hellinckx Luc</span></span><span class="gi"> </span><span class="go"><<a href="mailto:luc.hellinckx@gmail.com">luc.hellinckx@gmail.com</a>></span><br>
Subject: <span class="gi">LL-L "Memorization"</span></p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">Beste Ron,</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">You wrote:</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 40px; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="MsoNormal">Why do people insist on
using this structure? Is it to emphasize the number? What are your opinions on
this?</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">People use fuzzy logic I
think. Four different languages, like in the case of Switzerland, means those languages
are very different, not dialects of one and the same "Dachsprache",
not mutually intelligible either. Strictly speaking, every language is indeed
different from any other one, but some people try to think "positive,
forgiving and inclusive", as long as the difference is not that big. Say,
on a local level, Estuary English is indeed different from Kentish, but on a
higher level, viewed from a distance, they may be perceived as one, both just
being termed, "English".</p>
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<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); margin-left: 40px;" class="MsoNormal">Is this structure used in
other Lowlands languages?</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">Definitely. Brabantish has
"tefrent" (< different (F)) and "verschië, verschillige"
for "verscheidene, verschillende" (D).</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">I think it makes sense to
wonder if anything at all can ever be fully equal to anything else. At least
one property will always differ I think. If two objects look perfectly alike,
they will still occupy a different place, making their location different. Even
if they occupy the same space (bit hard to imagine in plain 3D), their history
may be different. One way or another, there is always a minor difference.
Following that line of thought, you could dump the word "different"
altogether, only using the term "same", if you want to describe that
two objects have a certain feature in common. I doubt whether the human mind
would be comfortable with that minimalist approach though.</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">There seem to be two
tendencies that sort of contradict each other: a call for diversity on the one
hand (languages, species), and an urge for purism on the other. Makes me think
of an article I read last week:</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://knack.rnews.be/nl/actualiteit/nieuws/wetenschap/te-veel-keus-maakt-singles-eenzaam/article-1194961588528.htm" target="_blank">Te veel keus maakt singles eenzaam - Wetenschap - Nieuws -
Knack.be</a></p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">Given a limited amount of
time, singles had the opportunity to find a date (so called speeddating). The
result was that those that were given a huge number of potential partners
ultimately found far fewer dates than those that had received but few.
"Die Qual der Wahl", in German ;=) Diversity is intrinsically OK, but
a bewildering array of options merely baffles people.</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">Kind greetings,</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);">Luc Hellinckx,
Halle, Belgium</span></p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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