LL-L "Language varieties" (was"Orthography") 2002.04.09 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 09.APR.2002 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "Elsie Zinsser" <ezinsser at simpross.co.za>
Subject: LL-L "??? " 2002.04.08 (01) [E]

Haai almal,

Ron wrote:
[Afrikaans speakers *chose* to have their language declared separate
from Dutch in an emancipation effort, and it certainly differs from
Dutch far, far more than....]

I think it's more of a realization of who one is and where one belongs
than of 'choosing' emancipation through language rationally.  It was in
1710 that a certain Bibault (if I remember the name correctly) declared
in a Cape court 'Ik is een Afrikaander'.  He lost Dutch in the chaos of
diverse peoples and cultures trying to understand one another, but in
the process found a new identity in the language he spoke.

The same is happening in the linguistic melting pot of the US: In order
to 'fit in' people emulate 'American', not realizing that what they are
speaking is their own conceptualization of 'American'.
The strange thing is that every shibboleth carries some marker in it and
as the marker gets accepted the language changes.

Incidentally, I tested the hypothesis on acceptance at the Eagle Pass
border with Mexico: Whenever I said "Si" to border patrollers they'd
stop and search the carriage. A "Yeah! " mostly got us clearance to
drive on.

Hasta la vista, babies!
Elsie Zinsser

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