LL-L "Language politics" 2008.01.31 (02) [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  -  31 January 2008 - Volume 02
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language politics

Dear Lowlanders,

It's time for another "naive" question, I'm afraid ...

The other day Sandy mentioned that he regarded the Northumbrian dialect
group as belonging to the same group as that of Scots dialects. This makes
sense from a linguistic as well as from an historical point of view.  As
most of us already know, Scots and Northumbrian share Old Northumbrian as
their common primary ancestor, and there are lots of structural similarities
as well as vocabulary the two groups share, especially when you look at the
northern Northumbrian dialects and the southern Scots dialects known as
Border Scots. On the other hand, there's a pretty noticeable language change
when you leave Northumbria westward and southward, far less when you go
north. Also, Old Northumbria stretched from south of York to Edinburgh.
Well, I guess there's a difference between Northumbria and today's
Northumberland, probably a political one where the former is an historical
entity and the latter has been claimed by England.

Furthermore, Scotland and Northumbria have a lot of traditional culture in
common, even though England English influences have masked a lot of that on
the English side of the border, and migration to one-time economic hubs such
as Newcastle and Sunderland have played a part in this.

My basic question is this: How would Northumbrian and Scots speakers react
to a proposal to unite them linguistically?

I realize that this is likely to be a sensitive matter, since it deals with
Northumbrian loyalty to England, the country in which they live, and many
may not want to be seen as Scots, and the name "Scots" evokes association
with Scotland after all. But if I can't ask this here, where can I?

So lets assume this unity thing were taken seriously and "Scots" would be
unacceptable on the part of Northumbrians ("Lallans" probably too because of
its association with Scottish culture), how would Scots speakers react to a
proposal to call the united language "Northumbrian" -- for that's what both
of them really are, "Modern Northumbrian": a Northumbrian of Scotland and a
Northumbrian of England (a bit like Low Saxon of German and the Netherlands
which many of the players in Germany still refuse to accept). I suppose that
language activists of (today's) Northumbria (on the English side of the
border) would have to be assure that they would always play a part in
decision making, that possible standardization not be solely Scottish-based
or Scottish-dominated, and that they (south of Hadrian's Wall) remain
considered a distinct unit within the whole.

I assume the naming question would be important, and people will always
split hairs in such matters. Look at what is happening with
Catalan-Valencian-Balear where people in Valencia and the Balears resent
domination by Catalan, don't want to be seen as Catalans, although all the
relevant dialects clearly belong to one unit and differences are not very
significant at all. (We have the wren story in both Catalan and Valencian:
http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/catala.php ,
http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/valencia.php )

Now let me indulge in a bit more "naive" speculation on this basis. Let's
assume all the Northumbrian speakers on both sides of the border did come to
an understanding, how would the government of England react? I assume there
would be little or no opposition on the part of the government of Scotland
(since it would be no fat off *their *backs).

The issue of national loyalty should not arise in this day and age, and
there would probably no well-founded fear of secession. But you never know.
(What ever is happening with the Cornish independence movement?)

I am not suggesting that I think such unification should happen. After all,
who am to suggest this? I am only curious to know how such a proposal would
be received by the relevant parties.

So what say the horses' mouths?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

•

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