LL-L "Language politics" 2005.11.02 (03) [E]

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
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02 November 2005 * Volume 03
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From: Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc. <roger.thijs at euro-support.be>
Subject: LL-L Language politics

Required knowledge about dialects in the UK:

>>From the Washington Post web site
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/01/AR2005110101974.html
...
Starting Tuesday, the tens of thousands of immigrants who apply for British
citizenship each year must pass a new "Britishness" exam, designed to test
familiarity with this country's politics, life and customs
...
British commentators have poked fun at the new test, wondering how many
native-born citizens would know some of the more arcane information the
newcomers were being asked to learn
...
The dialect in Liverpool is called Scouse.
...

Regards,

Roger

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

Roger,

It's the same in the case of US "naturalization," so I don't understand why 
the _Washington Post_ makes a big deal.  I tested a few well-known 
native-born US citizens using a couple of the questions I was asked in my 
recent test.  One got one of them right.  The rest?  Nada.

Within some reason, I'm not really opposed to it.  People who *choose* to 
become citizens should know at least the basics of history and the political 
system, should prove that they know what they are getting themselves into 
and how they are meant to participate in the system.  If native-born 
citizens do not know these things, well they probably learned it in school 
and forgot.  And what are you going to do about that?  Take their 
citizenship away?  I did think that questions about how often certain kinds 
of politicians can be reelected and how long a term of office is was a bit 
detailed, but ... hey!  Any more detailed and it would have been 
unreasonable.  In Australia I had no test at all, and I think there should 
have been at least a mandatory series of lessons or lectures.

Cheers!
Reinhard/Ron 

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