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Q: Language police
asked by:
diamondsz
Extremely eHealthy
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Replies(20)
cmyked
Experienced User
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marvel
Supporter
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Beline
Supporter
I hate discrimination. In South Africa we have 11 OFFICIAL languages. No discrimination there, although it is a *** to complete a government document. 
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Mabel
Moderator
| cmyked wrote: |
| I think everything needing to be in French is a bit silly; I know I wouldn't be offended if things started being in spanish; heck, I'm in southern florida so a lot of stuff is in spanish! Sometimes it's a spanish sign all by itself. We have several spanish TV stations. There are signs in spanish in the hallways of my mother's school! |
I'm in Washington State and I can't buy a product at the store or read my local newspaper without needing to know Spanish. We also have several Spanish speaking tv stations.
My point is: It ain't just in Florida!
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cmyked
Experienced User
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Mabel
Moderator
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cmyked
Experienced User
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Mabel
Moderator
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marvel
Supporter
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cmyked
Experienced User
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marvel
Supporter
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cmyked
Experienced User
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-Tanya-
Active User, very eHealthy
| Beline wrote: |
| I hate discrimination. In South Africa we have 11 OFFICIAL languages. No discrimination there, although it is a *** to complete a government document. |
Ah! Praat jy afrikaans? Ek is n Afrikaner!
I'm from South Africa, too. But immigrated to Canada in 1996. My Afrikaans is not very good now. I can speak it easily still, but my writing is not baie good.
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killbill
Experienced User
| marvel wrote: | ||
It's incredibly challenging. Use Canada as an example. French and English are our two native languages. It's very, very hard to manage both languages, especially when one is the clear minority and tries to protect its cultural integrity. I'm not an opponent of having two official languages (especially when these languages are representative of a culture that has been prevalent in the geographical area for centuries, even before English), but it causes a lot of friction. Though it wasn't solely a language problem, in 1995, I believe, Québec held a referendum to separate from Canada. I'm not even kidding when I say that the result was 51% for staying with Canada and 49% for separation. |
Hooray for Elijah!
Canada has a lot of native languages but they aren't french and english in a lot of people's opinion. My native language is Cree but you don't see any laws being made to protect that. It is still spoken by a lot of people but it is slowly dying out. It's hard not to resent laws that protect the language of the Quebecois when there are no laws to protect native languages, many of which are dying out due in no small part to residential schools who beat the language out of many a native child. My mom was punished with a switch or strap or by being made to kneel on marbles if she spoke her own language at school, even in the school yard and she didn't even go to residential school. That's why she still speaks it today, because she was able to speak it at home. I have deep sorrow in me that I don't speak my mother's language, but she was taught that it was wrong and she didn't teach her children. It was only when we were grown that she realised what we had lost and now I struggle to learn. I know that many other native people carry that grief as well; grief for a part of your culture and identity that is missing. Language is so important because it carries the values and the nuances of a culture that can't be translated. So, while I can understand where they are coming from, it is hard not to feel angry that they still have what so many indigenous people have lost, (in this country and in many others.)
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diamondsz
Extremely eHealthy
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marvel
Supporter
| killbill wrote: | ||||
Hooray for Elijah!
Canada has a lot of native languages but they aren't french and english in a lot of people's opinion. My native language is Cree but you don't see any laws being made to protect that. It is still spoken by a lot of people but it is slowly dying out. It's hard not to resent laws that protect the language of the Quebecois when there are no laws to protect native languages, many of which are dying out due in no small part to residential schools who beat the language out of many a native child. My mom was punished with a switch or strap or by being made to kneel on marbles if she spoke her own language at school, even in the school yard and she didn't even go to residential school. That's why she still speaks it today, because she was able to speak it at home. I have deep sorrow in me that I don't speak my mother's language, but she was taught that it was wrong and she didn't teach her children. It was only when we were grown that she realised what we had lost and now I struggle to learn. I know that many other native people carry that grief as well; grief for a part of your culture and identity that is missing. Language is so important because it carries the values and the nuances of a culture that can't be translated. So, while I can understand where they are coming from, it is hard not to feel angry that they still have what so many indigenous people have lost, (in this country and in many others.) |
^totally agreed.
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Beline
Supporter
| -Tanya- wrote: | ||
Ah! Praat jy afrikaans? Ek is n Afrikaner! I'm from South Africa, too. But immigrated to Canada in 1996. My Afrikaans is not very good now. I can speak it easily still, but my writing is not baie good. |
Afrikaans op ehealth! Never thought I’d see the day. I’ll send you a pm.
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billyclem
New User
| Ingi wrote: |
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I'm in Washington State and I can't buy a product at the store or read my local newspaper without needing to know Spanish. We also have several Spanish speaking tv stations. |
Just do as most everyone else, speak SPANGLISH!
I live in Benton county (15% hispanic), which is surrounded by Franklin co. (56%), Grant co. (33%) and Yakima co. (39%).
It is a pain in the butt, Spanish is so prevalent that it seems we either need to legally go English only or bilingual.
Bill
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-Tanya-
Active User, very eHealthy
| Beline wrote: | ||||
Afrikaans op ehealth! Never thought I’d see the day. I’ll send you a pm. |
Ek het nog niks van jou gekry nie!
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