LL-L "Language use" 2008.03.18 (04) [E/LS]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 18 March 2008 - Volume 04
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From: orville crane <manbythewater at hotmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language use" 2008.03.18 (03) [E]

Ron,
The Lowlander designation fits the Low German speaker well. The Platt
speakers along the North Sea Coast form a continuity from east to west, from
the Baltic to the North Sea. The North Germans agreed to speak the official
language of 19th Century unified Germany, High German. High German became
the language of state and success. Over the course of 140 years, the
importance of Platt has become reduced. If people wish to speak in their
Platt, more power to them!
Tom,
man bij het water

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From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>
Subject: LL-L "Language use" 2008.03.18 (03) [E]

Yes, performance artists and whatever is all great and I'm really happy
about anybody doing unconventional stuff in Low Saxon. But I don't
think, this will have much effect. Unconventional stuff in an
unconventional language. But we need to make Low Saxon a language, that
is not considered unconventional anymore. I don't know the work of Silke
Manshold, but "recital and movement" sounds very much like "art" and art
is not for the mass market. We need down to earth work, popular culture
in Low Saxon, "South Park" in Low Saxon or whatever. Something that
appeals to the mass. If it's done good, the people will love it and they
will be given access to Low Saxon through this. It must be fun to be
able to speak Low Saxon (not fun like "haha" but enjoyment). It must be
cool to speak Low Saxon.

I am 25 years old. And I don't speak Low Saxon to anybody in my age.
Cause nobody of them speaks it (well some are able to, but don't do it
either). If I started speaking Low Saxon, everybody would think "_Why_
does he do that? Nobody of us does speak Low Saxon, why he?" And if I'd
start talking about "language of itw own" and stuff like that, nobody
would understand my arguments. They probably would say: "And you think
you can stop change by talking to us in Low Saxon?" And they would be
right. But if the public opinion among young people would be "Low Saxon
is fun", I would be free to speak Low Saxon whenever I wanted to and I
never again had to use "eccentric" arguments like "language on its own"
or "every language is worth being maintained". "Fun" is argument enough!

So, if you want to change something, don't waste your time on
Shakespeare op Platt or Low Saxon Haikus or writing Wikipedia entries
about long forgotten 19th century Low Saxon writers. Start translating
South Park or the Simpsons (maybe not, I think they jumped over the
shark and are on the road downward) or the newest comedy with Adam
Sandler or whatever is popular into Low Saxon. Dr House or Battlestar
Galactica or Heroes or 10,000 BC or try to create an international
internet meme which involves Low Saxon (like the "Loituma Girl" created
interest in the Savo Finnish dialect. "Loituma Girl" is no art, it is
pure nonsense. But highly appealing, kind of psychedelic nonsense, it's
"catchy").

We need the masses on our side.

Marcus Buck

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

Tom by't Water:

The Lowlander designation fits the Low German speaker well. The Platt
speakers along the North Sea Coast form a continuity from east to west, from
the Baltic to the North Sea. The North Germans agreed to speak the official
language of 19th Century unified Germany, High German. High German became
the language of state and success. Over the course of 140 years, the
importance of Platt has become reduced. If people wish to speak in their
Platt, more power to them!

Dat dout wy ook, Marcus, Marlou, Jonny, ik un 'n barg annere.

Marcus, we are actually on the same basic page. It's only that I seem to
have expressed my vision less clearly than intended.

In a nutshell, what I meant was that release from confinement is needed, in
*all* direction, not only in unconventional and "sophisticated" (*
anspruchsvolle*) art but also in pop culture and everyday spheres. And for
all I care those that like it can continue the *Heimattümelei* tradition.

"Ordinary" and "popular" is important; I'm all with you there. But
"sophisticated" is also needed for the sake of image and for the sake of
stretching and experimenting. Most people have been led to believe that the
language is too lowly to be a "world literature language," something that is
quite wrong. A real language ought to be allowed and able to dance at all
balls and to all manner of music.

You are quite right. Use in areas of mass appeal is a very good way of
popularization. But why only have one tune? Where there's pop, rock and
country music, why not also have classical music, *koto *music and African
drums? Besides popularizing, we also need to demonstrate variety. Otherwise
you end up with another box, just a different color one. Enough with the
boxes! Open the lids and let it fly wherever it may!

Kumpelmenten,
Reinhard/Ron
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