LL-L "Language use" 2004.11.08 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 08.NOV.2004 (05) * 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: Henry Pijffers <henry.pijffers at saxnot.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language contacts" 2004.11.08 (02) [E]

Ron wrote:
>
> After all, she just turned 85 and still keeps writing her weekly
> newspaper columns, which must take a lot out of her.
>
Can her columns be viewed online perhaps? I'd like to have access to
more plat media.

> I agree.  However, it *is* a fact that these minority languages tend
> to be in better shape in rural parts.  My recommendation -- based on
> psychological consideration -- is to neither focus on rural symbols
> nor try to create the impression that you are dealing with language
> varieties that are flourishing in cities.
 >
You should come over to Twente sometime :) I can point you to some
cities that have a majority of (Low) Saxon speakers.

> Neutral visual symbols are best, I think, along with factual
 > information and, hopefully, some sort of encouraging message.
>
But you're right, of course, neutrality is usually the best way to go.

Henry

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

Ha, die Henry!

> Can her columns be viewed online perhaps? I'd like to have access to
> more plat media.

I can ask her to put you on her mailing list for when she sends copies of
her manuscripts out to folks outside her area.  Also, I have collected
bunches of them and can send them to you if you wish.  Besides, I have
posted her earlier ones, plus a few chapters from her book, at my site,
along with English translations:
http://www.sassisch.net/rhahn/kramer/
 http://online.sh/freudenthal
online.sh/platt
(all leading to the same site)

She's a real sweetheart, by the way.  They don't come much kinder and more
loving.  In the meantime we truly feel like family, and my wife and I are
blessed with her doting attention and compassion, which is reciprocal.  She
has even passed on some of her more valuable Lowlands Saxon books to me.
I'm sure she'd be thrilled to bits if you or any other interested person
wrote to her.  She doesn't know much English, but her daughter and friends
would translate for her.  Go ahead and write in your Netherlands Low Saxon
(but try to adapt it to German spelling a bit).

> You should come over to Twente sometime :) I can point you to some
> cities that have a majority of (Low) Saxon speakers.

I'd love to.  It's great to know that language loyalty is strong there.

On the German side of the border, the strongholds of the language are in
rural areas and in small- to medium-sized towns and cities.  In the large
cities it is only in certain social circles that the language is still used.
For many city folks it's still a closet language.  They love it and can
speak it, might even speak it in the home.  But the general fear is that
outsiders might find it "country" and "low-class" -- which used to be
generally the image in the post-WW II period (considered the "dark age" by
some LS speakers) when "good" German was assumed to be the only key to
socio-economic upward mobility, and children were not taught the old
language, were even discouraged to try to speak it, even for fun.  I (and
probably a few other North German citiy "kids" on this list) am (are)
exceptional.  Already as a child I was fascinated by the bilingual situation
(or the trilingual one if you count Missingsch) and picked up LG
deliberately, partly passively, secretly, and partly because I've always
marched to my own drummer and have always questioned the "party line."

Let's try to do our best to prevent such "dark ages" to return!  Let's try
to encourage ourselves, each other and others to hang on to their languages,
not to "preserve" them (like museum exhibits) but to keep them alive and
evolving.  Once they're gone it's next to impossible to bring them back to
life.

Hold fast!
Reinhard/Ron

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