[sw-l] Mitteleuropa

[Shane Gilchrist Ó hEorpa]

Lucyna,

I like your name - it is different from the usual plain 'lucy'! :D

When I did History at university, my professors often refer to the region as
'Mitteleuropa' (that also includes Germany and Croatia) because of the
similar politics and culture in the region - and of course, the
inter-marrying of the Crowned Heads of Europe etc (there used to be a joke
that England should be in that region as their Queen Victoria married most
of her children off into 'Mitteleuropa'!)

But either way, you are very RIGHT, Lucyna, you are in the EU, welcome
welcome! :D

I'm from Ireland myself - in Belfast (shall I continue explaining where it
is?!?! - no, I didn't steal that £27m (millions)!!!) - I use two national
sign languages - Northern Ireland Sign Language (often described as British
Sign Language - NI dialect) and Irish Sign Language. NISL and ISL are very
common in the North of Ireland - I'm better with my NISL than with my ISL as
I teach NISL.

I am speaking to our lovely Kathleen (in Brussels) about the idea of doing a
small teaching conference this summer (it is not confirmed yet!) so perhaps
I will see you then in Brussels this summer? :D

Shane

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
[mailto:owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu] On Behalf Of Lucyna Dlugolecka
Sent: 22 January 2005 21:59
To: sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
Subject: Re: [sw-l] Czech sign language



> Thought Poland and Czech Republic are in Central Europe?

Some people say these countries are in Central Europe, some do that in
Eastern Europe, and some other, that in Central-Eastern Europe. For me, it's

all the same :-) Now we are just in the European Union ;-)

> Lucyna, am I right in thinking Polish Sign Language come from LSF (French
> Sign Language?)

No, Polish Sign Language (PJM) does not come from LSF. Only the finger
alphabet has something in common with LSF. PJM is a natural language
developed by Polish Deaf people. There are some foreign influences from the
Austrian, the German and the Russian sign languages in PJM as in the past
Poland had been for more than 100 years under foreign rules. That is why PJM

is partially similar to the Austrian, Czech, Slovakian, German and Russian
SL.

And where are you from, Shane, and what SL you use?

Lucy
(my name is Lucyna [pronounced like lutsinah] but many people, also in
Poland, call me just Lucy, in English :-))