LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 12.MAR.2000 (04) [E]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 12.MAR.2000 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Colin Wilson [lcwilson at iee.org]
Subject: LL-L: "Language politics" LOWLANDS-L, 11.MAR.2000 (01) [E]

At 13:24 11/03/00 -0800, Ian James Parsley wrote:
>Most people in the movement seem to think we need an Ulster-Scots dictionary
>(this appears early on the list of chief desires of most members). I say
>bunkum! Yet another Scots dictionary is the LAST thing we need. What we need
>is a dictionary of Scots usage, where common mistakes or misunderstandings
>are listed and explained.

That would be an irony, wouldn't it. In the eighteenth century there was
a similar book for (real) Scots-speakers who were trying desperately to
adopt English. With a book of the kind that IJP is suggesting, the wheel
would have turned by 180 degrees.

Sandy Fleming wrote:

>The
>"traditional" literature shows how Scots _can_ be formulated as a language,
>and therefore the answer to the question is an unqualified "yes".

Both Sandy and John Tait are to be congratulated for the breadth and
the depth of their insight and analysis into the practical problems
facing Scots.

The most unfortunate thing is that these are only available piecemeal
as a succession of postings to LOWLANDS-L. I think they'd be of much
more value if they were collated into a more structured form, and
made available in the form of a book or pamphlet.

Together, they'd be a very useful and welcome addition to current
thought on the subject of language planning for Scots. Would John
and Sandy consider producing such a work?

Colin Wilson.
PS Does anyone know the derivation of "pamphlet"? A "small pamph"
doesn't sound quite right, somehow.

************ http://www.btinternet.com/~lcwilson/colin.htm ***********

                               the graip wis tint, the besom wis duin
Colin Wilson                   the barra wadna row its lane
writin fae Glesca              an sicna soss it nivver wis seen
                               lik the muckin o Geordie's byre
**********************************************************************

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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Language politics

Dear Colin,

In response to your message above, please allow me to say that I congratulate
you on bringing this up, and that I very much hope this type of collaboration
will come about.  Obviously, I have followed the discussion on Scots on
Lowlands-L for about five years now.  I have learned a lot about the language
and have been watching the discussion mature.  I'd like to think that a small
part of this positive development is due to the fact that the discussion has not
been taken place on a Scots-specific list (i.e., in a type of vacuum) but on one
on which several languages and language situations meet.  Hopefully, we all have
been learning a lot from each other.  I know that I, for my part, have, as a
result of it, gained much clearer insight into the situation of Low Saxon (Low
German), the indigenous language of *my* neck of the woods, a language whose
history and treatment bears remarkable resemblance to those of Scots.
Hopefully, this has been a two-way street.

Yes, it would be very nice if there could be some sort of gathering of all this
information for the purpose of distributing it more widely.  I would be
perfectly happy to help in any way necessary, certainly by making available for
your research copies of my private archive of LL-L issues going back to May
1995.

With best regards, and lots of encouragment,

Reinhard/Ron

P.S.: I'll respond to the "pamphlet" thing under "Etymology"

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