LL-L "Language politics" 2008.02.24 (02) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 24 February 2008 - Volume 02
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From: Mike Wintzer <k9mw at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2008.02.12 (01) [A]

Hi all,
I am surprised that the subject of Kosovo has not yet appeared,
at least not under this heading "language politics", the only one
I find time to check systematically.
True, it's not a LOWLAND, but I find it eminently relevant.
I hope that this my posting, if accepted, will open a discussion,
so let me post my initial contribution.
More than anything else recent events prove one more time that
politicians are INCAPABLE of distingushing between political and
cultural independence. While I am glad for the Albanian majority,
I feel that their political independence sets an unwanted precedent,
for Europe and for the World. Isn't the goal of the European movement
to create a politically united state (sorry, Brits!), in which all cultures
can unfold and develop completely unhindered by foreign domination?
Previous models, such as the Soviet Union, India, or more closer to
us, Spain, Britain, in fact ALL multi-cultural states have FAILED, because
the polically dominant group CANNOT resist the temptation to govern
other ethnic groups in their state not only politically but also - albeit to
greatly varying extents - to take control of their cultural and, in
particular,
linguistic matters.
Can anyone point to a counter-example other than - yes again - Switzerland?
Even such very liberal states as Singapore, Malaysia (and others?) cannot
completely escape this phenomenon.
Greetings, Mike Wintzer

•

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