LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 07.FEB.2000 (04) [D/E]

[Lowlands-L Administrator]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 07.FEB.2000 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
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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: Roger P. G. Thijs [roger.thijs at village.uunet.be]
Subject: Limburgish / Minority languages in Belgium

The newspaper "Het Belang van Limburg" announced today (pages 1 and 9):
"Limburgs als streektaal niet erkend" (Limburgish not recognized as regional
language).

Actually the paper got a copy of a - hitherto undisclosed - advice by the
"Nederlandse Taalunie", already dating from July 5, 1999, against the
recognition of Limburgish as a regional language (in Belgium).

Limburgish was recognised as a regional language in the Netherlands though
in 1997  -- quote:  "Koen Jaspaert van de Nederlandse Taalunie, zegt nu "dat
dit een ongelukkige keuze is geweest" -- Koen Jaspaert of the Nederlandse
Taalunie says now that this has been a bad decision.

The "Nederlandse Taalunie" was created to encourage and maintain a uniform
standard for the Dutch language, common for Belgium and the Netherlands. It
was obviously predictable that the Belgian minister of Foreign Affairs,
asking the "Taalunie" for advice, would get this result. Will he get
something different when he asks the "Académie française" advice about the
recognition of walloon or picard?

The provincial deputy for cultural affairs of Belgian Limburg,  Sylvain
Sleypen, states he will prepare for court actions to get things unlocked,
based on lack of equality in policy between two countries, the Netherlands
and Belgium, vis-à-vis a very same regional language.

Regards,
Roger

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