LL-L "Language survival" 2002.10.02 (08) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 02.OCT.2002 (08) * 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: Jack Driedger jimdee at sasktel.net
Subject: LL-L "Language survival" 2002.10.02 (04) [E]

I have lived in Saskatchewan, Canada all my life. My first language was
Plautdietsch. When I entered the local public school, I was forced to speak
English from the time I entered the school grounds until I left the school
grounds to walk home.
I am glad that happened at the time.
I empathize with Mike Wintzer.
Although I needed to learn the English language as a resident of Canada, I
have continued to practice Plautdietsch to this day. My children never
learned Plautdietsch.

.....................................

 My point though was that nowadays, in the age of
> universal human
> rights, these processes are FORCED upon us with a violence hitherto
unheard
> of, at least in the area of languages. A sovereign even as late as the
18th
> or 19th century in general didn´t care too much what his subject spoke.
Yes,
> I agree, all through the age evolution took its course. Sometimes
evolution
> was violent. But, the systematic, state-ordered violence towards languages
> (and the cultures they carry) is a recent phenomenon, triggered by the
> emergence of the so-called "nation" states. I was raped, culturally,
> linguisticly, when I was denied access to my culture, deprived of my
> childhood language, and a foreign language was forced upon me for the rest
> of my days. I feel that I was denied a basic Human Right. And that´s what
my
> militant feelings are directed to. If I belonged to an ethnie, there
clearly
> was ethnocide.
> George Gibault writes:
> "...don't start with the politicians and lawyers..."
> Whom else can I address my grievances about state-ordered violence to but
to
> state institutions, the justice system in this case? What are the
> alternatives? Extra-judicial (but for heaven´s sake no violent) actions,
> I proposed some in my posting.
> George continues:
> "Start with the kids - it is their brains and mouths which form the field
on
> which the campaign will be won or lost!"
> And:
> "If local young people don't have a major role in formulating local
language
> policy its chances for success are dim."
> Right you are George, oh so right!
> If you knock someone down in the street and police arrives, can you point
to
> him and say: "Look he doesn´t even WANT to get up."
> Who was there when little Mike Wintzer was a receptive kid??? The almighty
> state with its mandatory school system that knew (and still does know)
only
> one language - its own official "national" language, foreign to the land.
> Who gave young Mike a chance to
> "formulate local language policies"??
> Better late than never, now he wants
> his voice to be heard. And I am sure that many of the
> Lowlanders, if they look at it this way, if they really become aware of
> their ethnic affiliation and what happened to it, will want their voices
to
> be heard , too. That was the sense of my wake-up call.
> Mike Wintzer

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