LL-L "Language politics" 2008.07.04 (06) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 04 July 2008 - Volume 06
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From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2008.07.04 (04) [E]

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

> Subject: Language politics
>
> Oh, boo-hoo for our poor, little Marcus! Devoid of talent, creativity,
> personality and charisma -- and puppets! -- the poor thing, and condemned to
> spending his time in the company of fogies (surely not on Lowlands-L, I take
> it)! Oh, boo-hoo! My heart bleeds for him. Bring out the vigo-vigolins!
>
>  Life is hard. It's really hard to me... Hey, but as a kid grown up with
American cartoons bursting from pop-cultural references I really love
cultural references, even if they are not popular. That was the
Lammerstraat, I recognized your reference. I'm so good! (Does this qualify
as a talent?)
Don't make fun about my worries. It's really not nice to have problems like
that. I am still trying to do _something_ despite my lack of skills, but I
would love to do things, that really could change something about the
problems I'm worried about.

> I think there's room for everyone -- even for you, Marcus -- just as long
> as they play nice and don't turn into chronic /geiht-nich/ sayers, saying
> "No way!" before even thinking about it. I'm sure a job or two could be
> found for you, Marcus, buddy, even if it were only what a friend back in
> Germany used to put as "Modergeruch im Hintergrund machen" ("to generate
> musty/fetid odor in the background" -- said of someone for whom you can't
> think of a job or role at the moment). I would love to be able to say that
> being nice, genuinely nice, will attract followers, but history tells us
> that I would be sorely mistaken if I said so. However, I feel safe in saying
> that hope, confidence and a can-do attitude are key ingredients.
>
Modergeruch sounds like a great job... Jesus was nice and he has a billion
followers even 2000 years later. But Hitler was not very nice and he too has
followers until today... Perhaps the secret is to do something at all.

And apropos doing something: I think I found the answer to my last question
about the difference between Low Saxons and Occitans. The difference has a
name: Anaram Au Patac. Anaram Au Patac is an organization of university
students from southern France who engage for the Occitan language. They
organize the demonstrations. It seems, in the 1990s some students decided to
target their rebellion against establishment and mainstream on language. And
beginning with that a movement developed. I don't know whether the YouTube
songs are related to Anaram Au Patac, but it is not unlikely.
Jonny, you see, it doesn't need that much, to make a difference. Some
students on dope searching for a task _can_ change something. Low Saxon is
not dead, it just needs the right dynamics to make it cool to support it.

Marcus Buck

----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language politics

Marcus,

Are your worries keeping you awake? You should be asleep right now where you
are.

Oh, come on now! I was being sarcastic -- obviously. I wouldn't be "making
fun" of your worries if I shared them and were convinced that you indeed
lack talent. Well, I have news for you: I don't. From where I am standing
you seem plenty brilliant, have all sorts of talents and abilities that you
seem to be underestimating. I won't go into a real litany of those. Suffice
it to mention only excellent language acquisition ability, the ability to
turn a phrase, the ability to see the big picture, analyze systems and
causes, and plan strategies, get and make a joke, and ... not least ... a
superior intellect and the ability and willingness to "fly," if not "soar,"
if you get my drift. In my opinion, you would make an excellent planner,
strategist, adviser or any other type of puppeteer.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this type of impression of you. I dare
say our Jonny wouldn't be sparring with you if he thought you didn't have
something going.

Yes, you guessed the Low Saxon song correctly: "Jan Hinnerk".  It'll be my
first or one of my first contributions to the new Traditions presentation,
even with a singable English version.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

•

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