LL-L "Language survival" 2002.10.31 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Marco Evenhuis <evenhuis at zeelandnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Language survival" 2002.10.31 (06) [E]

Ron wrote:

> I have long been under the impression that language loyalty among Dutch
and
> other North European immigrants is generally weak.

Could it be that a social-economic situation of
the immigrant group or individual is a factor
here? Immigrants from northern Europe in
the traditional immigrant countries (USA,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand...) are usually
relatively well educated and can, to a certain
degree, speak English before they even leave
their country. Therefore, it makes sense to me
that these people have the more succesfull locals
in their new homeland as a peer group when
they arrive. Their short-term goals and expecta-
tions in terms of career, housing and education
are probably higher than that of less well off
immigrants from e.g. Asian or even southern
European countries. Could it be that this 'peer
group thing' speeds up the process of integra-
tion? Plus it's a given fact that people who are
less well off usually tend to stick together to
help each other solving their problems. There-
fore the need for a group identity is probably a
lot stronger among them.

This could be the reason why relatively well
schooled Zeelanders, who went to the States in
the 1840-1880s for religious reasons, now form
a sort of upper class in places like Holland and
Zeeland, Michigan and lost their language al-
most completely and why Zeelanders that left
for Brazil around 1835 out of poverty and who
have remained poor till this day (after a relatively
succesfull period around 1910) still speak their
language.

Another example: when I look at some of my
neighbours in my street, I see that young people
(2nd generation immigrants) with a Surinamese
background have already lost their language (most
speak Sranan, an English based creole language,
or Sarnami, a Surinamese variety of Hindi), or
at least do not use it amongst younger Surina-
mese anymore. Kids of the same age (also 2nd
generation immigrants from the Dutch Antilles
still prefer to speak Papiamento (a Portuguese
based creole language) rather than Dutch in most
situations. Note that there are much more pro-
blems with unemployment and school drop-
outs among Antillian kids than there are among
Surinamese. People came from Surinam to the
Netherlands mostly because of the political situa-
tion in their country, so they are from all classes.
Antillian people mostly came out of poverty and
lack of prospect and were usually not that well
educated.

So maybe it is not a matter of cultural background
that says something about language survival or
language attitude among immigrants. The social
factor could be of more importance.

Met groet,

Marco

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