LL-L "Language politics" 2007.10.08 (05) [E]

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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 (Zeeuws)

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  08 October 2007 - Volume 05
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: Gary Taylor <gary_taylor_98 at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L Language Politics

Hi Jonny, Gabriele and everyone

Just a quick point about what you, Jonny, said to
Sandy and a few points for Gabriele too:

"I don't know if you're aware of the fact that the
dialects of LS are extremely different- an average
LS-speaker of the Lunenburg-area in Germany is
definitely unable to understand his LS-collegue from
Groningen/Netherl. spontaneously"

I'm not sure that should hinder matters. There are
many American, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, African and
Indian dialects that I have difficulties
understanding, and I know that American's sometimes
have difficulty understanding me. It doesn't mean that
area specific English can't be taught in schools. Most
of my English teachers in school were from my local
area. Why can't a somehow 'standardised' Low Saxon be
taught with a local flavour. I mean the written system
of English is hardly representative of any particular
English dialect, but we all get along with it.

I think arguments saying that local people are willing
just to let their dialects die so we should accept
that is somehow sad and actually quite silly. Some
things are worth saving. The Buddhist memorials in
Afghanistan that were blown up under the Taliban for
example was a catastrophe. The local people possibly
saw them as terrible, but it is a loss to the world -
here outside intervention was missing and now
something of beauty has been lost forever.

Another example is wolves, which have been hunted all
over Europe and considered much more dangerous than
they actually are by many local people with the result
that in many areas they have become extinct - is this
a good thing? This is also the case with many other
animals.

I think many people don't look beyond the end of their
noses at times. They don't realise the importance of
things on their own doorsteps to a much wider
community and through this they are willing to destroy
what one day they will regret the loss of.

I would agree that the loss of an animal species is
more tragic than the loss of a language, but in its
own way the loss of a language is also very tragic.

I just ask you to rethink arguments like this.
Sometimes local people really don't know what's best
for them. I'm not a naturalist so I can't do much to
save animals, but I do love languages and dialects and
I think this is the case for most people on this list,
and as such we should be doing everything we can to
save those languages which are closest to us, either
by encouraging more people to speak them, or by making
people feel that their own dialects are important and
would be a real loss if they disappeared.

Anyway I've rambled, but needed to get it off my chest

Gary (Taylor)

•

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