LL-L "Language survival" 2004.04.02 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 02.APR.2004 (01) * 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) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Frédéric Baert <baert_frederic at CARAMAIL.COM>
Subject: LL-L "Language survival" 2004.04.01 (03) [E/French]

Hi,

I naturally join to this discussion.
I'm afraid I must agree with you to find those percentage optimistic ! The
population of the french departement North was in 1999 : 2,555,020 so 3 %
mean 75,000 ! The text says those 3 % include people speaking flemish or
having hear it. It's a pity that we have not the proportions between people
speaking it versus people having hear it. It's clear from me that
proportions are very much in favour of people having hear it.

>I am pointing this out with regard to what I said earlier, namely that
>speakers of minority languages (and I include "regional" languages in this)
>often do not reveal themselves, are even less likely to do so in front of
>"foreigners."  Whatever the reason for this may be (I assume fear of coming
>across as secessionist/disloyal in a climate unfavorable to national
>diversity), we discussed that phenomenon several days ago.

I agree with this : people mostly use flemish for familial conversation or
conversation with vlaamsch speaking friends. I will describe the family of
my mother who is born in Boeschèpe. My grandmother speaks vlaamsch as first
language and has learn french at school. All of her 5 living children also
speak vlaamsch as first language and have learn french at school. They
speak better french than their my grandmother. None of their children
(we're 5) speak vlaamsch as first language. But we're two to understand it
well.
Now, the husband of my aunt and the wife of my uncle don't understand
vlaamsch. So during familial meetings, conversation between people
understanding vlaamsch is always in vlaamsch but if one person who does not
understand vlaamsch join the conversation, the conversation will as soon
shift to french.
For non familial situations, vlaamsch-speaking people will always speak in
french without asking if the other speaks vlaamsch. If they discover they
both speak vlaamsch, then the conversation will shift to vlaamsch.

You must always have in mind that, still nowadays, vlaamsch is associated
with the language of the farmers and is bad considered. I don't know the
opinion of other young people and if the situation is changing. The point
is also that media always focuse on picard and people progressively forget
that vlaamsch exist or did exist in north of France.

Best regards
Frédéric

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