LL-L "Language politics" 2005.03.12 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 12.MAR.2005 (03) * 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: Mike <botas at club-internet.fr>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2005.03.11 (04) [E]


Hi all,
Roger Thijs wrote:

"This Thursday evening I recorded on DVD from the (Belgian) news magazine
Ter
Zake on TV1 a report about the language situation in the French Westhoek. It
is 6.5 minutes in total and I don't know how to cut it out and transform it
in a web compatible format. (I play it with Neoplayer on my home PC).

It was about the battle between Dutch and Flemish in Northern France. Dutch
is allowed as foreign language in French education since some time.

For Dutch:
4500 pupils in the "Nord" momentarily take Dutch as foreign language in
primary school; 2000 in middle school. A Dutch lesson in primary school was
partly filmed. The teacher Mrs Huzeel clearly has to improve her own Dutch,
cf. "Hoe gaat het met jij?".

In opposition older people were reading from the grammar by Marteel (in
dialect of Bray-Dunes). A young fellow was pleading for teaching Flemish in
schools, but he had to pauze regularely for finding his words.

The problem with minority or socially oppressed languages is often that
defenders cannot come to a common view. And what about standardizing? Some
studax may compose something new: a Middle-sprake-flemish. But how to sell
that to the French minister of Education? How to sell it to local people?
And would "replacing" be a solution for saving a dying language (almost
dead)?"

Roger I left your posting in total because it describes an excellent
example of the difficulties revivers of quasi-extint languages face.
However, an uninitiated reader could get the impression that France
is a paradise for minority languages (Dutch is now allowed... 4500 pupils...
etc.). The fact is that France where a host of "minority" languages are
or were spoken, has still not ratified, AND IS NOT GOING TO, the
European Charta on minority languages ("lesser used" languages in
EU jargon).
I have two kids in France in a school where a so-called minority language
(occitan) is used. We are constantly being harrassed, monkey-wrenched,
vexed, chikaned by the authorities with the only poorly concealed aim
to get rid of us.
Mike Wintzer

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