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aint_no_life_nowhere

(21,925 posts)

30. Several years ago, I saw a documentary on PBS about the treatment of the Cajuns in Lousiana

Mon Feb 20, 2012, 04:39 PM

Feb 2012

It described the fact that children were beaten and verbally abused in public schools if they dared to use one word of French or to use the original pronunciation of their French names. The State of Louisiana wanted to completely Americanize the French population.

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The tragedy of dying languages [View all] MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 OP

K & R Thanks for posting a la izquierda Feb 2012 #1

I'm currently learning Scottish Gaelic. nt MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #2

Is that very different from Irish Gaelic? flamingdem Feb 2012 #14

Both are part of the Goidelic languages nt MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #16

According to Wiki flamingdem Feb 2012 #17

Cornish is part of the Brythonic languages. MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #19

Old article from 2010 BumRushDaShow Feb 2012 #3

What's really lost zipplewrath Feb 2012 #4

I'd disagree with "The passing of a tounge that virtually no one uses anymore isn't all that MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #10

But not of a dying language zipplewrath Feb 2012 #13

Dickensian English, not so much. MineralMan Feb 2012 #20

You probably would understand a few words of Aeld Englisc as compared to Irish Gaelic geardaddy Feb 2012 #41

I know there's no connection. I was just using Gaelic as an example. MineralMan Feb 2012 #45

I agree that Old English would be largely unintelligble. geardaddy Feb 2012 #48

It all depends on who is hearing the unusual accent. MineralMan Feb 2012 #50

It definitely helps if the listener is exposed to a variety of accents. geardaddy Feb 2012 #52

I used to translate for coworkers from Downeast Maine and South Georgia... FarCenter Feb 2012 #69

Well said. H2O Man Feb 2012 #55

counterpoint ... eppur_se_muova Feb 2012 #5

Interesting link MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #11

This is a choice made by people of these groups. Romulox Feb 2012 #6

+1 Poll_Blind Feb 2012 #8

Most of the dead Native American languages were deliberately killed Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #9

+1 MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #12

Nobody prevented you from learning Norwegian. That was your choice. Romulox Feb 2012 #18

Wasn't me--it was my grandparents who stopped speaking Norwegian Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #21

You tend to make my point. nt Romulox Feb 2012 #23

During World War I there was a lot of pressure on immigrant communities to use English FarCenter Feb 2012 #68

Yes, that was the era. My aunt would have been in 1st grade in 1915. Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #70

Several years ago, I saw a documentary on PBS about the treatment of the Cajuns in Lousiana aint_no_life_nowhere Feb 2012 #30

I have a friend who stll remembers how her teacher slapped her face hard suffragette Feb 2012 #58

+1000 geardaddy Feb 2012 #44

Yes and no REP Feb 2012 #76

Indeed! CanSocDem Feb 2012 #7

So interesting, thanks flamingdem Feb 2012 #15

To my knowledge, only one indigenous language is gaining speakers KamaAina Feb 2012 #22

I noticed that growth between 1977 and 1991 Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #24

Yup. The overall cultural renaissance began in 1978 KamaAina Feb 2012 #25

A few of the minority European languages are also enjoying revivals. hunter Feb 2012 #57

Why in the world is this a tragedy? former9thward Feb 2012 #26

Honduras vs. El Salvador in 1969 Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #27

Honduras vs. El Salvador in 1969" former9thward Feb 2012 #31

Are you monolingual? Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #32

Various languages keep people in low standards of living. former9thward Feb 2012 #35

Oh, you aren't "on the left" then? Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #37

I speak English. former9thward Feb 2012 #40

So you know nothing of the beauty of other languages or why Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #64

let's be fair then Sea-Dog Feb 2012 #38

You may not have heard of Esparanto. former9thward Feb 2012 #43

I'm not of the mind that wiping out languages is a great thing Sea-Dog Feb 2012 #61

And *it never caught on* Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #63

Keep those rightwing talking points coming. geardaddy Feb 2012 #46

I would say individualistic languages which separate people former9thward Feb 2012 #47

Really. Then why are all the English first people right wing? geardaddy Feb 2012 #49

I don't know what you mean by English first former9thward Feb 2012 #51

Where did I say that it would be ok with me. Way to overreach on that one. geardaddy Feb 2012 #53

Nothing could be mandated. former9thward Feb 2012 #54

French used to be the international language. geardaddy Feb 2012 #56

"I have never ran," "the less languages" Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #66

You have been putting up strawmen all through this thread. former9thward Feb 2012 #78

???? n/t Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #85

I have never met a left-winger who was offended when immigrants spoke their native language Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #67

"They're POSITIVE that the immigrants are talking trash about them." geardaddy Feb 2012 #71

In real life, no, the left wing supports cultural self-determination Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #65

Again +1 MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #88

:( nt sudopod Feb 2012 #28

Best example of... LanternWaste Feb 2012 #29

best throw away comment yet Sea-Dog Feb 2012 #34

It's a valid point. randome Feb 2012 #39

dogma more like Sea-Dog Feb 2012 #59

Champions of one language should learn how to use it. REP Feb 2012 #73

The bloodiest wars are when they speak the same language... hunter Feb 2012 #74

The American Civil War had more causalities than WW I and WW II? former9thward Feb 2012 #80

The wars in Europe were civil wars. hunter Feb 2012 #81

WWI and WW II were not civil wars. former9thward Feb 2012 #82

Sorry. All those white Christian people look alike to me. hunter Feb 2012 #83

The languages are similar? former9thward Feb 2012 #84

Who said anything about Japan or China? hunter Feb 2012 #86

That may be what you were talking about. former9thward Feb 2012 #87

Happy International Mother Language Day 21/2/2012 nt MichaelMcGuire Feb 2012 #33

Dydd Mamiaith Rhyngwladol Hapus! geardaddy Feb 2012 #42

Cenadl heb iaith, cenadl heb garon REP Feb 2012 #62

Hen air ardderchog, REP geardaddy Feb 2012 #72

K&R Solly Mack Feb 2012 #36

K&R suffragette Feb 2012 #60

My middle daughter took four years of latin in high school. Teacher retired and it's gone. HopeHoops Feb 2012 #75

I even paid tribute to this in a book DFW Feb 2012 #77

This points up the fact that a lot of smaller tribes were wiped out Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #79