LL-L "Language use" 2004.09.12 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 12.SEP.2004 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you 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) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: Grietje MENGER <grietje at menger.fsnet.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2004.09.09 (01) [E]

> From: 1handclapping <1handclapping at myway.com> (Roger Verhiest)
> Subject: LL-L anguage politics french-English
>
> This brings us to the true issue in these messages : language and
politics.
> It has been and will always been the goal of political power to create
> uni-lingual states - the linguistic border between the Netherlands and
> Germany is a fine example : on both sides of the state border one will
find
> dialects which are very related ; people from over the border can
perfectly
> converse with each other in their dialects - but as soon as they begin to
> speak the "common" language ie German and Dutch they don't understand each
> other anymore.

I am reminded of something that happened a number of years ago. I don't know
the exact year anymore, but probably around 1995. The Dutch and German
armies set up a joined batallion. The decision was that the communal
language would be English. (By the way, Dutch always think "they" are such
good speakers of English, I sometimes think, while their only marginally
proficient, but that's another matter.) So there's a whole host of 20
somethings who need to start thinking in English. A newspaper comentator
argued that it would have been far better to have each of the groups speak
its OWN language, for which the others would have to do some trouble, but
which still could be easier to deal with as it would be easier for people to
speak their thoughts. (I can only shiver at the thought of the horrendous
English that would be the result! As somebody else (sorry!) commented, the
English linguafranca is something completely different from "proper"
English.)

Grietje Menger
Scotland

================================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.
======================================================================