LL-L "Culture" 2008.06.30 (09) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 30 June 2008 - Volume 09
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From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>
Subject: LL-L "Culture" 2008.06.30 (08) [E]

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com <mailto:sassisch at yahoo.com>>

> Subject: Culture
>
> Thanks a lot, Marcus.
>
> I sure appreciate your take on this (and you know more about Ina Müller
> than I do). I just went by what I read in the interview, and things like
> saying that refugee parents dragging their children all over Babylon are
> mean seems a bit ... well, dumb to me. No, one doesn't have to qualify for
> the post of UN Secretary General, but one can do just a bit of thinking
> before speaking. But perhaps I misunderstood it and it was meant to be some
> sort of joke that I don't get.
>
> I see nothing wrong with irreverence, at least not well-place irreverence
> that that doesn't put people down and involves thinking and challenging the
> status quo.
>
> "Free rut" is fine, especially at home where everyone pretty much thinks
> and acts the same. In this day and age of constant inter-cultural
> shoulder-rubbing, however, a modicum of tact and politeness is warranted, I
> feel. This has nothing to do with toadying, just as not making comments to
> people's faces about their looks, dress or ways of walking is not toadying.
> Also, I hardly think that diplomacy is by definition dishonest. It's a
> matter of restraint.
>
> Anyway, it's quite possible I'm misunderstanding and misjudging this
> person. Who knows? Just for having said these things I might end up in one
> room with her someday ... At least then I'd find out.
>
> In the meantime I watched a couple of videos of her performances, and it
> seems to me that she is a "typical" stand-up comedian, though with a singing
> twist, that _relies_ on "naughtiness". In the US, imagine Cathy Griffin
> spiking her routines with songs.
>
> And here she claims that Low Saxon in not "a language in its own right"
> (/eine eigenständige Sprache/) but /eine eigene Fremdsprache/ ("its own
> foreign language"):
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozQR3BnfFgg&amp <
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozQR3BnfFgg&amp>
>
> Regards,
> Reinhard/Ron
>
>  She does not "claim" anything. She is just using a very lay-woman
terminology in one of her stand-up performances. And she is speaking to a
High German publicum, so that's maybe why she says "Fremdsprache".

To the "mean parents" thing: She speaks tongue-in-cheek, it's obvious that
she doesn't seriously blame the parents for anything. It's not actually a
'joke', but 'jocular'.

She does stand-up comedy, but "stand-up comedian with a singing twist" is
not really a good description for her. She gives concerts (singing without
stand-up), makes Kabarett, is a TV host for several shows and writes books.
An allround media person.

Marcus Buck
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