LL-L: "Language policies" LOWLANDS-L, 15.FEB.2000 (02) [D/E]

[Lowlands-L Administrator]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 15.FEB.2000 (02) * 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: LL-L: "Language policies" LOWLANDS-L, 14.FEB.2000 (01) [E]

> From: gdeutsch at estec.esa.nl
> Subject: Lowlands in France
>
> I wonder about the official status of Dutch (or Flemish, if you want) in
> Northern France:

This is allready confusing. Dutch is now accepted as a foreign language in
the curriculum of teachers. Some people in the field (Ternynck in
Steenvoorde, Marteel in Dunkerque) are teaching Flemish though, and not
Dutch.
It's somehow similar to the Elsass where some people are giving courses in
German other in Alsatian,
or in Thionville, where there is confusion between German, Lëtzebuergesch
and local Moselle-Franconian.

> Few days ago I read (in a Dutch) newspaper an article about the status of
> Occitan in France.
> Next to the partly remarkable parallels of the situation of Occitan (vs
> French) to Low Saxon (vs German), and also to Scottish, the article
appeared
> to me of interest for the Lowlands, because it mentioned that Occitan,
next
> to seven other minority languages in France, had been officially
recognised
> by the government about a year ago, and this had been announced by the
prime
> minister, but unfortunately it had to be partly withdrawn, since this was
> regarded as in contradiction with the French constitution.
> I have never heard anything like this before, and my modest attempts to
> verify this, failed (e.g.EBLUL web page does not mention this).
> Was this article just nonsense?

No, the French constitutional court maintains the constitution states French
is the (only) official language of France.

> If not, does anybody know, if Dutch is one of the seven minority languages
> (one could reach eventually seven without counting the Flemish).

Yes, but in some texts there is confusion between Dutch and Flemish.

> And, again if it should be true, I would be interested what was the driver
to
> this - attempted - change of attitude.

I guess Dutch/Flemish is in the official list since it is sufficiently
different from French for not being classified as a romance dialect. The
real issue, I think, is: you hardly find anybody below 50 who is still
speaking it.

There are some pages on the web, from a group called C.A.L.F., if I do
remember well. I will try to find them this evening.

Regards,

Roger

---------

From: Stefaan Vermeire [stefaan.vermeire at advalvas.be]
Subject:  LL-L: "Language policies" LOWLANDS-L, 14.FEB.2000 (02) [E]

Hallo Roger,

Weet jij soms waar ik een exemplaartje van dat leerpakket "Limburgse
streektaal" op de kop zou kunnen tikken?

Groeten,
Stefaan R.W. VERMEIRE.

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