LL-L "Language politics" 2007.10.18 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  18 October 2007 - Volume 06
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
=========================================================================

From: Roger Hondshoven <rhondshoven at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.10.12 (05) [E]

Ingmar wrote:
I assume in that period, the first half of the last century, many Flemish
even didn't know standard Dutch very well themselves, what they spoke were
their Brabant, West and East Flemish or Limburg dialects and a kind of
Dutch coloured heavily by those. French, however, was a clear and uniform
language. With all the prestige Flemish was lacking.

To my mind, this is highly exaggerated. Of course the Flemish continued to
use their dialects in everyday circumstances and in local surroudings. But
colonial public servants *did* know Dutch, be it that their language was
considerably influenced by French.----------

Ben wrote:
 I believe that Dutch had virtually no impact in Belgian colonies.

Wasn't French the language of the Belgian colonies? French is the European
language of the Congo area, and French influence is all over Kokoongo and
the other Bantu languages.

You are absolutely right, Ben. The impact of Dutch in the former Belgian
Congo was virtually nihil. Theoretically and legally, French and Dutch were
on an equal footing. Practically, French was the prevailing language in the
administration. All official matters were dealt with in French. True,
documents from the administration had to be translated into Dutch. As a
matter of fact, for four years I was the semi-official translator of the
reports of the  Council of the Equatorial Province.
During those four years I was employed as a teacher of Dutch and English in
the Athénée Royal of Couihatville/Coquilhatstad. Before arriving there I had
been told that the headmaster was someone from Leuven. On my arrival
we exchanged a few words in Dutch. When I went to his office the next day I
assumed I could talk talk in Dutch to him. He cut me short, saying the
language used at school was French only. For the next two years I never
spoke a word of Dutch with him.  During the summer holidays, which we spent
in Belgium, he decided to quit his job. He paid a visit to all his teachers
to bid them good-bye, at which time I found out he spoke perfect, fluent
Dutch. In the course of the final year I spent in the Congo I had a
disagreement with the new headmaster (a Walloon) over a considerable number
of extra hours I had worked. Since I didn't get satisfaction I decided to
take my cause up one step in the hierarchy, to the Head of the Education
Department of the Province. As he was a Fleming I thought it ridiculous to
state my grievances in French. So I wrote him a Dutch letter. I think I
 must have been one of the very few colonial employees who thought it wise
(unwise?) to swim against the stream and to break with current procedures. I
got a repy in Dutch, though no satisfaction.
I have a number of friends who spent time in the Congo. I took the subject
up with them and they agreed with me that using Dutch was simply not done in
relations with superiors.
Regards,

Roger Hondshoven
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lowlands-l/attachments/20071018/0c4b8ac4/attachment.htm>