LL-L "Language politics" 2004.10.08 (05) [E]

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From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2004.10.08 (04) [E]

Tom Maguire wrote:
"Fowler and others' contributions to The Oxford dictionary may be
perceived as a "standard" reference in written British English, whereas
Webster's could be the ready reference in American English. Do
Australians and New Zealanders recognise the first and Canadians look
towards the second?"

I cannot and would not wish to speak for Canadians and New Zealanders, but
Australians have their own standard reference for Australian English - the
eminent Macquarie Dictionary. It is usually the only dictionary you will
find in Australian schools, workplaces and homes - in the same way you are
unlikely to find a Macquarie or Websters on British bookshelves. It is right
it should be so in my opinion, even though I do not necessarily agree will
all of Macquarie's standard selections (e.g., what I perceive as American
English _program_ instead of _programme_).

Tom also wrote:
"Again the BBC is for some the reference for pronunciation in British
English - a sort of "phonetic standard", often standing side by side
with received pronunciation."

There is some controversy about this in Australia. The Australian
Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) plays the same role as the BBC does in
Britain, and has a rule book of spoken standards. For this it is often
criticised as Anglophile ("closet pom") or unnecessarily formal. I would
imagine the CBC and TVNZ receive the same criticisms in Canada and New
Zealand / Aotearoa.

Go raibh maith agat,

Criostóir.

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From: Uilleam Òg mhic Sheumais <goidel.glas at gmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2004.10.08 (04) [E]

Tom wrote:
> France and Spain have clearer rules of the game. They have set up Royal
> Academies of their respective languages to produce standard dictionaries
> of words recognised to be French of Spanish. The latter Academy has the
> job of  "polishing, fixing and gving splendor" (limpia, fija y dar
espendor)
> to the language.

French isn't so clear cut. Yes, you have l'Académie française, but
there is in Québec also l'Office québécoise de la langue française.
Using them both you can get pretty "pure" French =). E.g., in Québec
they say "On parque dans le stationnement" for "I park in the parking
lot" but in France they say "On gare dans le parking". If you combine
them, you can get "On gare dans le stationnement" and it's very much a
French phrase.

Not that that's related at all to Lowlandic languages, but whatever.

Beannachdan,
Uilleam Òg mhic Sheumais

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From: Bill Wigham <redbilly2 at earthlink.net>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2004.10.08 (04) [E]

LL-L Language politics
from: Bill Wigham
Tom & friends,
     I do not know anyone anymore that has any deep regard for Webster's
dictionary.
Everyone I know goes to the OED if they want good information.

That French academy that seeks to control the French Language appears to be
having a certain amount of trouble holding back the Tsunami of foreign words
that the French people find useful.  Guardians of language should not, I
believe, seek to shut out foreign words which enrich the language in
question.  That could, if taken to the farthest extreme, put Mr. Roget out
of business.
W. Wigham
Westfield, MA

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