Quote + tangent

[Greg Dickson]

you just made my brain go on an interesting tangent...

Does anyone know of any example of people (I'm thinking a very small 
group, like a family) from an anglo ethnicity abandoning English for 
another language??  I know the converse is happening all over the world 
all the time... it would be heartening to know that *someone* is 
bucking the trend...

Greg
On 30/03/2007, at 8:23 AM, Andre Cramblit wrote:

other than the fact that english is a universal language and not that 
of a particular ethnic group

Now it said you have to speak english to be a true Australian 
descendant or criminals deported from England then maybe you have 
something

On Mar 29, 2007, at 3:53 PM, Greg Dickson wrote:

Note that if you apply the sentiment to a dominant language/culture, it 
becomes highly offensive to most of us... e.g. you have to speak 
English to be Australian... only the most rightwing people could 
tolerate this sentiment.

Greg Dickson
Linguist
Ngukurr Language Centre
CMB 6
via Katherine  NT  0852
Ph/Fax: 08 8975 4362
Email: greg.dickson at kathlangcentre.org.au
On 29/03/2007, at 6:26 PM, Rudy Troike wrote:

I've read similar sentiments from a Puerto Rican and someone from 
Africa,
but in the form of a question. "Can one not know Spanish and still be a
Puerto Rican?" The African was speaking of some distinct tribal 
language,
and said "Can one not speak [language X] and still be a [member of a 
tribe]?"
I was struck at the time by the parallelism of the sentiment.

   Rudy Troike