LL-L "Language politics" 2010.04.05 (02) [EN]

[Lowlands-L List]

===============================================
*L O W L A N D S - L - 05 April 2010 - Volume 02*
lowlands.list at gmail.com - http://lowlands-l.net/
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org
Archive: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-08)
Language Codes: lowlands-l.net/codes.php
===============================================


From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>

Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2010.04.04 (01) [EN]



From: Sandy Fleming <sandy at fleimin.demon.co.uk>

 Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2010.04.03 (02) [EN]

> From: Hellinckx Luc <luc.hellinckx at gmail.com>
> Subject: LL-L "Language politics"
>

> Completely agree. In my book, banning words ranks even more ridiculous
> as banning a certain type of "clothing" (not the lack thereof ;=)) or
> banning "gestures". Seems that some people mistake the right of using
> words, for ownership. They treat a language as if it's some sort of
> territory where immigration officers should constantly keep an eye on
> "illegal" import.


I wonder if there can be a tragic irony in this sort of thing?

What effect does banning words actually have? I suspect that words could
gain much wider recognition from being banned so that instead of just
being this decade's slang they might become a permanent part of the
language?

Is there actually any example from history where a country or a society
tried to ban words? I assume that "banning" means a law prohibiting the use
of a word. In Germany e.g. there are laws that prohibit to say e.g. "Heil
Hitler" in public, but I guess that's not the type of law that is meant.
France has Loi Toubon which regulates language. But Loi Toubon doesn't ban
any words, it just regulates commercial signage and is meant as a service to
customers. E.g. if you use an English slogan in an ad you have to provide a
French translation so everybody can understand it (that's the basic idea, of
course there are some flaws with the law, for example if it comes to the
role of languages like Breton, Basque or Occitan).
And every country in the world has some laws that stop you from yelling
"asshole" to a cop.

But I don't know of any law ever where there was a list of words whose use
is unlawful independant from context.

@Luc: Banning the lack of clothing can be culturally invasive too. Take
Indonesia as an example. Indonesia made laws that prohibited to expose
certain body parts similar to the laws about public exposure that exist in
Europe. The laws make sense in the Malaiic parts of the country but they
were indirectly aimed at the peoples of Western New Guinea where toplessness
and wearing penis gourds are part of the traditional cultures.

Marcus Buck



===================================================
Send posting submissions to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
Send commands (including "signoff lowlands-l") to
listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands.list at gmail.com
http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
===================================================
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lowlands-l/attachments/20100405/0cdbd9b1/attachment.htm>