LL-L "Language survival" 2002.09.30 (04) [D/E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 30.SEP.2002 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.lowlands-l.net>  Email: admin at lowlands-l.net
 Rules & Guidelines: <http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.htm>
 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>
=======================================================================
 You have received this because have 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>.
=======================================================================
 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)
=======================================================================

From: W. Jaap Engelsman <engelsma at euronet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Language survival" 2002.09.29 (02) [D/E]

Beste Laaglanders,

Luc Vanbrabant schreef:

>Perhaps it would be interesting to send to our Lowland site all the
>French words who are derived from one of the lowland tongues.

Maar laten we niet vergeten dat er op dit gebied al veel werk verzet is. In
het reuzenwerk van W. von Wartburg, "Französisches etymologisches
Wörterbuch" (1928-), zijn de delen 15-17 gewijd aan "Die germanischen
Elemente".

Een zeer interessante analyse van de sporen van de Oudnederlandse
woordenschat in het Frankisch is te vinden in: Nicoline van der Sijs,
"Chronologisch woordenboek" (2001), hoofdstuk 2.2.

Jaap Engelsman

----------

From: Browne, Kevin at Astronaut <BrowneK at brevard.k12.fl.us>
Subject: language survival

Hello Laaglanders,

this topic of language survival has interested me. Quite often I think
people feel powerless
to do anything. Here in the states (U.S. - I try to avoid using America, but
everyone calls
us "Americans" and other peoples are identified as "Canadians" "Mexicans"
etc.)(Oops,
sorry for that little blurb) we are fairly far removed from this. But, I do
not believe this gives
us an excuse not to help. What I am about to suggest may seem trivial to
some, but I
have found that it works in my classroom. Offhand I purchased a little book
and cassette
called "Dansk nu." It has simple conversations in Danish and although I
teach German at
a high school in Florida, I have been teaching my students these Danish
conversations only
using 5-10 minutes a day. It's amazing what they have learned in such a
short time. (when
students questioned why they were having to learn Danish I told them about
the Danish
speakers around Flensburg and other minority languages in Europe and how
important it
was to preserve these languages - no one bothered me with questions again
and many have
actually enjoyed the Danish more than the German - probably because I have
approached
the Danish in a very relaxed way)

Now I have started writing conversations in German for my classes to hear,
similar to the
ones from the "Dansk nu" and some I have simply translated from Danish to
German. These
conversations along with the stories we read have been very successful and
anyone who
teaches a foreign language here in the states knows what a battle it is,
because so many
people, out of ignorance, believe "everyone" speaks English. Thanks to some
on this
Lowlands list I have been translating many of these conversations and
stories into Dutch.
I would love to do something like this with all of the lowlands languages,
but must admit
that my interest lies primarily with Dutch, Afrikaans, Zeeuws, Frysk, etc.
If there were
someone who speaks these languages and would be willing to record them with
another
native speaker of the language and translate them from either German or
Dutch into their
language,  I would happily send them a cassette tape and would be happy to
give these
languages at least as much time as I have given the Danish. (I'm especially
interested in
the languages in the Netherlands) Not only would we be informing our
students of these
languages, we would also be exposing the languages to the students in a very
practical
way. It's easiest for me of course to send the conversations and stories in
Hochdeutsch,
(high German), because that is what I have everything written in. I try to
translate into
Dutch, but still make many errors.

I say all of this only because I would like to do something practical for
these langauges,
albeit, a small contribution. I'm sure you will let me know what you think
of this. If nothing
else, I will be learning your language at a very basic level, which is
better than not knowing
any of it - I think.

Kevin Browne
Titusville, Florida

----------

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

Kevin:

> this topic of language survival has interested me. Quite often I think
> people feel powerless
> to do anything. Here in the states (U.S. - I try to avoid using America,
but
> everyone calls
> us "Americans" and other peoples are identified as "Canadians" "Mexicans"
> etc.)(Oops,
> sorry for that little blurb) we are fairly far removed from this.

This is what in my experience most people in the States assume when I talk
with them about it.  The sad truth is that it is *not* far removed from them
at all, that this sort of thing is not only happening in faraway countries
but, at a probably faster rate than in Europe, under their very own noses.
The indigenous languages of the Americas, especially of the United States,
are disappearing at an alarming rate.  I recently wrote about this.
(http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0208D&L=lowlands-l&P=R902
)

In your very own state, Florida, there are several severely endangered
(mostly Seminole) language varieties; e.g.,

Language:           Speakers:
Muskokee (Creek)    6,213 (*including* those of Oklahoma and Alabama)
Mikasuki/Miccosuki  496

Many are extinct (e.g., Apalachee, Hitchiti and Taino), and the Taino plan
to revive theirs by reconstructing it from records.

Please take a look at a list of surviving languages and the numbers of their
speakers in the United States:
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~jcamacho/363/nativetoday.htm

Note that there are still 10 speakers of Makah on that list.  Meanwhile
there is none ...

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

==================================END===================================
 * 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
 =======================================================================