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[ceruleancat]

There's 190+ 'countries' as a political definition in the world today. There's 7 thousand(!) languages. Think about the difference for a moment.

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Comments

[ferneberga]

And we lose 4000 languages a day :-( There was an article on this in the Chartered Institute of Linguists Journal 'The Linguist' a few years back, regarding the number of languages in the world, and the number being lost daily through progress, or the peoples originally speaking certain languages had died out without being able to pass them on, since many are based on vocal tradition. However, in Europe there has been a resurgence in recent years with regard to languages that were in danger of dying out such as: Gaelic or Euskara (Basque), to name but too.

[ceruleancat]

On the one hand, it makes me sad. And the passing of a language is the passing of a whole culture and heritage, not just the linguistic wealth. On the other hand, to some extent it's the natural lifecycle of languages and cultures. Speeded up, in this day and age, I'm sure (although the rate isn't in the thousands per day, unless their definition of language is very unique. They estimate 3k of 7k by the end of the century).
Unesco's Atlas of Endangered Languages, which comprise close to half the languages of the world

[ferneberga]

I think the article may have been including the sub-languages in the 3rd world. I read it a few years back as well

[ceruleancat]

After the dictatorship the Spanish State wanted to get back on an even keel...
And what's France's excuse for persecution of non-Parisian French for the past centuries and to this very day?

Of course the count includes languages of the 3rd world. The question is, how do you count. Do you count every village in Asia that has its own sub-dialect as a separate language? Not being argumentative here, only curious as to definitions. And there is no end to the discussion over the (very vague) boundary between dialect and language, given it's all politically based.

[ferneberga]

The French are a case apart. I think it's a question of snobbism and probably dating pre-French Revolution, obviously that isn't the only reason (I hope), but explains in part the last time I travelled to Biarritz from Donostia (San Sebastián)and said coach stopped next to a café, which I entered and asked for a "café au lait" (my French pronunciation is lousy I'll admit) - ignored by the bar staff, I tried in Spanish "Café con leche" (my pronunciation passes for a native speaker) - I was ignored again, I tried in Basque (Biarritz is part of the Basque Country) "Kafe esnea" - ignored again, I tried in English "white coffee" - ignored again, one of my students who'd come with me, who's a bit of a clown asked for "café au lait" in an exaggerated French accent and was attended

[ceruleancat]

I've had so many such encounters since we've moved to Paris! A lot of them actually don't understand when it isn't in just the right accent and grammar, even more so when it's out of context. But some are predisposed to NOT UNDERSTAND even when context makes it perfectly clear.
On the other hand, they're taught foreign languages so badly that they have a mortal fear of it, which is worse than their actual lack of knowledge. I work with doctoral students on academic presentations in English. And I have students with mediocre to good English coming to me saying they're not sure their level is sufficient to take this course. Overcoming their fear of using the language is harder than any actual linguistic problem they might have.

Thanks for the rec on The Linguist. I'm not doing anything new before the book is finished, but later maybe. Want to tell me more? What sort of things are published, what's the target audience?

[ferneberga]

Sounds like some of my Spanish students. I've been 32 years in Bilbao and I swear languages are taught worse now than when I first arrived despite all the multimedia. Of course there are those who tell you English is a doddle and that they know English perfectly!!! Those are normally the mediocre to bad who are unwilling to work to advance, but I have others who are very self-conscious about their knowledge or lack thereof and really want to work hard at improving, which is a joy to teach.

The Linguist is aimed at linguists in all language fields from yours in linguistics to mine in translation, including teaching, those learning for pleasure, etc., etc.

A summarised version of the journal can be viewed here: www.iol.org.uk or I can post you on the issue for October/November 2011 to give you a better idea (once I can get out of the flat that is, i.e. when doc gives me permission to put weight on ankle)

[ceruleancat]

A summarised version of the journal can be viewed here: www.iol.org.uk or I can post you on the issue for October/November 2011 to give you a better idea (once I can get out of the flat that is, i.e. when doc gives me permission to put weight on ankle)

Thank you so much. RL is getting in the way of anything right now, but I'll look at it.
Let your ankle heal properly. That's the important thing. (Though now I'm curious to know how the doc will know it's healed if you don't get out of the flat. I don't suppose you have an xray machine in the back room.)