LL-L: "Afrikaans" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 17.AUG.1999 (01)

[Sandy Fleming]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 17.AUG.1999 (01) * ISSN 1089-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/~sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
 User's Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
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From: Reinhard Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Afrikaans

Dear Lowlanders,

Lately I have been surveying American bookstores and book catalogs and
discovered that there are very few Afrikaans textbooks and
dictionaries.  Some bookstores, such as the Borders branch in Downtown
Seattle and the various Barnes & Noble branches, have none at all,
empty spaces between "American Sign Language" and "Arabic."  Other
bookstores, such as our University Bookstore, which has one of the most
extensive offerings, carry just one or two relevant items, and none of
them very good ones at that.  I used to find Afrikaans textbooks and
dictionaries more easily during the Apartheid era.  Was that because
Afrikaans was officially a power language in South Africa then?  Surely
Afrikaans is not being virtually shunned abroad now, is it?  Is it
being treated as symbolic of an era most were happy to see end?  Is the
trend toward marginalizing Afrikaans in South Africa (despite a very
large number of culturally diverse speakers) being reflected overseas,
would-be travelers being given the message, "Don't bother about
Afrikaans! English will do just fine, and some words of Zulu would be a
nice gesture"?  I am delighted to see more books on Xhosa and Zulu on
the shelves these days, including some excellent courses that come with
phonographic tape cassettes.  But I can't believe that there is some
guideline among booksellers that says "Xhosa and Zulu in; Afrikaans
out."  Does any of you have more insight than I do?  Can you explain?

Best regards,

Reinhard/Ron

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