LL-L "Resources" 2002.03.07 (02) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 07.MAR.2002 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
 Rules: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/rules.html>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
=======================================================================

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Resources

[English version below]

Leeglanners,
     Ik heff 'n Nettsied vun Klaus Groth sien Warken tohoopwarkelt.  Daar sünd
hoogdüütsche Glossaren un ingelsche Översetten mit bi, ook Versionen mit 'n
nedderlandsche Schrievwies'.  Musik hebbt 'n paar ook mit daarbi.  Ik will
later noch annere Riemels daartodoon.  Wenn Ji wat to düsse Sieden to seggen
hebbt, will ik Ju Dank wesen, wenn Ji mi dat schrievt.  De mehrsten mank Ju,
de düt lesen köönt, bruukt keen Verklaren, neem Klaus Groth is.  Up Ingelsch
will ik de Saak ünnen wat nauer verklaren.
     De Adress:  http://www.geocities.com/grothwarken/
     Fründliche Gröten,
     Reinhard/Ron

***

Lowlanders,
     I have put together the beginning of a small website collection of the
poems by the Low Saxon (Low German) writer Klaus Groth (1819-1899).  It comes
with (High) German glossaries, my English translations, Netherlands-style
orthographic versions, and sound files.  This is a work in progress.  Your
comments, suggestions and corrections would be most welcome.
     The address: http://www.geocities.com/grothwarken/
     Most people who know about Northern Germany's "Modern" Low Saxon
literature consider Groth the best poet in the language.  Personally I think
that he may have been the best at his time, not of all time, and that much of
his poetry has won so much acclaim because it reflects and is connected with
his language activism.  Groth was one of the few who in the 19th century tried
to save the local language and to revive its literature while at the same time
-- probably in part as a reaction to the stark realities of the industrial
revolution -- elevating the milieus of common workers and country folks, i.e.,
the keepers of Low Saxon, to a literary level at which the average North
German could at least enjoy it as back-to-the-country romanticism.  His poetry
collection _Quickborn_ (1856) met with fair success and turned out to be a
breakthrough for the language movement.  Some of his works were published in
translation in Dutch, Flemish and Netherlands Low Saxon.  _Vœr de Gören_
(1858), a collection of children's poetry, was close to a failure at that
time, despite the fact that it came with artwork by the acclaimed illustrator
Ludwig Richter.  Perhaps this was symptomatic for the decline of the language,
a type of limbo existence that has continued to this day and will continue if
most educators and publishers have their way: Low Saxon is for older folks,
not for children.
     I think it is fair to say that Klaus Groth is to Northern Germany's Low
Saxon (Low German) what Robert Burns is to the Scots language.  Both men were
of humble origin, grew up speaking languages with severe image and prestige
problems and dared to use these languages in print, thereby encouraging others
and probably helping to prolong the lives of these languages.  Both men liked
to write poetry in folksong mode, and they catered to 19th century tastes with
romantic ballads.  However, while Burns' works tend to sparkle with dry and
sometimes acerbic humor, Groth's poetry tends to be doleful and more often
than not sentimental.  Many of you may recognize the famous poems _Min
Modersprak_ (My Mother Tongue) and _Min Jehann_ (My Jehann).  I am sure that
_Plattdütsch in Chicago_ (Low German in Chicago) will be of interest to
several among you.
     Some of Groth's poems have been made into songs.  Wherever I could find
the scores I have created Midi files of the music for you to download.  I am
also providing some Wave clips of renditions by the North German
singer-songwriter Hannes Wader, most of them with decidedly
Anglo-Celto-Appalachian touches.  Sound files can be found farther down on the
pages whose titles come with the sound file symbol on the index page.
     I hope you will enjoy these pages,
     Regards,
     Reinhard/Ron

==================================END===================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
 * Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
=======================================================================