LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.11.13 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 13.NOV.2002 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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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: John M. Tait <jmtait at wirhoose.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.11.10 (01) [E]

Criostoir wrote:

>Judged provisionally from what I've read, I'd cautiously agree. I suppose
>the situation mirrors that of Irish in Ireland. If I'm speaking Irish with
>someone, it's considered the height of bad manners to continue in Irish if
a
>non-Irish speaker arrives, yet I've never in all my life seen an English
>speaker give a toss whether they upset an Irish speaker or not. This is
>especially galling in Derry, where Irish is only spoken by about 5-10% of
>the population, and I don't have much chance to have a good conversation in
>Irish without some English speaker butting in about how they feel left out.
>I suppose the simple answer is to stop whinging and go and learn the other
>language. I've never censored any conversation because I don't speak the
>language, and can't ever imagine doing it. It's an appalling thing to do.

The idea that it is impolite to speak in your own language if there are
English speakers present is regarded as an absolute among English speakers
in general - in other words, most people, who do not have an interest in
language as such, will regard this as so obvious as not to require defence
or argument. A similar attitude gives rise to the myth that Welsh and Gaelic
speakers speak English among themselves unless there are English speakers
present, when they switch to Welsh or Gaelic.

The idea that all languages have to give way to English goes wider than the
British Isles, too. I remember once being in a Swedish chatroom on AOL when
a couple of English speakers butted in 'to chat up all you Swedish chicks'.
All the Swedes immediately switched to English leaving only yours truly
still trying to write Swedish, whereupon one of the butters-in asked
'doesn't John speak English.'! The logical conclusion of this is that, if
monoglot English speakers chose to hang out on Swedish chatrooms in spite of
the zillion to one predominance of English chatrooms, then Swedish chatrooms
would cease to exist. The only excuse for not speaking English, or the
dominant language of the country, is inability to do so - a situation which
makes the survival of minority languages and greater mobility mutually
incompatible.

John M. Tait.

http://www.wirhoose.co.uk

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