LL-L: "Low Saxon" [E/LS] LOWLANDS-L, 29.JUN.1999 (04)

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 29.JUN.1999 (03) * ISSN 1089-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Georg Deutsch [gdeutsch at estec.esa.nl]
Subject: Low Saxon

Thank you, Ron, for sharing with us the Article about Low Saxon in the
"Contact Bulletin" of the EBLUL (European Bureau of Lesser Used Languages)!

You explain (excuse?):

>Many of you may be interested in the following news reports concerning Low
>Saxon (Low German, usually referred to in German as _Plattdeutsch_ and
>_Niederdeutsch_).

Still, I feel it as irritating if an organisation like EBLUL without any
further comment refers to Low Saxon only as "Plattdeutsch".

In the end this usage is, in my opinion, partly contra-productive to the
declared goals of this organisation.
Here in LOWLANDS-L we have gone through this discussion more than once: The
word "Plattdeutsch" suggests
a) a dialect of "Deutsch" b) "Platt" (regardless how incorrectly) for many
has a strong connotation with something inferior.

But this is not the first or only case where this bulletin shows an amazing,
a really paradox  un-sensitiveness vis-a- vis language issues.

So I see it in any case.

Best regards,

Georg Deutsch

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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Low Saxon

<Low Saxon (Low German)>

Beste Georg,

Ik dank Di för Dien Reakschoon baven.  Ik will daarto heel kott wat seggen:

Nee, entschülligen do ik dat wiss nich.  Kunn ik ook nich.  Mien Meenen in de
Saak weett je elk een Lowlands-L-Abbonnent.  Ja, allgemeen seggt bün ik mit Di
över eens.  Ik versöök in düsse Saak man bloots mit sachte Fööt to gaan un de
Lüüd', de up us Siet staat, nich so batts för'n Kopp to stöten.  Dat de Lüüd' in
Düütschland us Spraak noch "Nedderdüütsch" ("Niederdeutsch") or "Plattdüütsch"
("Plattdeutsch") nöömt, dat kannst vun een Dag to'n annern nich ännern.  Dat se
so doot, as of de Spraak an de düütsch-nedderlandsche Grenss batts upholdt, as
of de Spraak man bloots in Düütschland bruukt wardt, dat is 'n legere Saak
verbunnen mit düsse Naams.  Wi möött togeven, dat dat "Nedderdüütsche" vun
Düütschland un dat "Nedersaksisch" vun de Nedderlannen een un de sülve Spraak
is, de Nakaam vun't Oldsassische, un de Sprekers in de twee Länner möött tohoop
warken, dat de Spraak an't Leven blifft.

Cornelia Nath dait 'n Barg gode Saken för us Spraak.  Ik glööv', er Artikel harr
se up Düütsch schreven un haar (leider) den olen Naam bruukt, un de Översetters
för dat _contact bulletin_  weten nich, woans se "Plattdeutsch"  in't Ingelsche
un in't Franzöössche översetten schullen.  Dat is 'n Fall vun *jüm er* Aanweten
un vun  *jüm er* Mangel an Naforschen, un dat is wat, dat dat Europääsche Büro
för minn bruukte Spraken up de Steed' ännern schull.  Dat schull up Ingelsch
"Low German/Low Saxon" heten.  De (gresige) düütsche Naam "Plattdeutsch" schull
in't Ingelsche un in't Franzöössche nich bruukt warrn.

Ik meen, dat Büro dait gode Saken.  Aan dat Büro wöör dat för de Minnerhaits- un
Regionaalspraken vun Europa heel un deel leeg wesen.  Na mien Verscheel is dat
Probleem, dat dat
sik to veel up de Länner-Kommitees verlaten dait, un dat up düsse Wies' ole
Naams un ool Dinken över ünnerdrückte Spraken (egaal of se offitschell gellen
doot) övernamen wardt.  Dat köönt wi ännern, wenn wi dat Büro us
Meenen, Verscheel und Vörslääg' direktemang tokamen laatt. (Ik stüür de Lüüd'
daar 'n BCC vun düsse Uutgaav' to.  Se köönt dat in us Internet-Archiv al so
finnen.)

Gröten,

Reinhard/Ron


<English>

Dear Georg,

Thanks for your response above.  Let me reply briefly:

No, I surely don't excuse it.  How could I?  All Lowlands-L subscribers are
familiar with my opinion in this matter.  It's only that I am trying to tread
lightly in this matter in order not to offend and alienate those people that are
on the same side.  You can hardly expect to change overnight the German habit of
referring to the language as "Nedderdüütsch"/"Niederdeutsch" or
"Plattdüütsch"/"Plattdeutsch."  In conjunction with this naming habit, it is
more serious that they keep pretending that the language stops abruptly at the
German-Netherlands border, that it is used only in Germany.  We've got to admit
that "Low German" of Germany and "Low Saxon" are the same language, the
descendant of Old Saxon, and the speakers in both countries have got to work
together if the language is to be preserved.

Cornelia Nath does a lot of good work for our language.  I believe she had
written her article in German and had (unfortunately) used the old Name, and the
translators of the _contact bulletin_ did not know how to translate
"Plattdeutsch" into English and French.  It's a case of *their* ignorance and
lack of research, and this is something that the European Bureau for Lesser Used
Languages should address immediately.

I feel the Bureau does good things.  Without it, things would be really bad for
Europe's minority and regional languages.  In my opinion, the problem is that it
relies too much on the country committees and thus helps to perpetuate outmoded
names and outmoded thinking about variously suppressed and oppressed languages
(officially recognized or not).  We can help to change that by sending our
opinions
and suggestions directly to the Bureau.  (I am bcc'ing them. They can find it in
our web archive anyway.)

Regards,

Reinhard/Ron

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