Some languages do come back from the dead or at least the brink. And some, despite all the resources and money available only linger, not making serious ground. What's the difference?
Irish, for example, has been actively encouraged since the founding of the Republic of Ireland and yet only a small percentage of the population use it as a household language. You can read more about it at the language blog Johnson. I liked the suggestion that if the Irish government really wanted to save Gaelic, they should have make it illegal. Of course, this from the Economist, and I never know how serious they are.
Contrast Gaelic with Modern Hebrew, another language revived for the purposes of state creation. This process took a surprisingly short amount of time. By the start of the revival movement by Ben Yehuda in 1881 to the end of WWI and the start of the British Mandate, Modern Hebrew had won the so-called "War of Languages" and established itself as the dominant language in the area. (Although this piece, from a BBC correspondent rightly points out the many differences between Modern Hebrew, and the historical language upon which it is based).
So where are the differences between these two situations? Both involve speech communities fighting violent conflicts to establish a new, ethnically and religiously defined state. Both even happened around the same time.
On the one hand, Israel was attempting to bring together many different groups of immigrants:
On the other hand, I'm willing to be that when the British left Ireland (well... MOST of Ireland anyway...), everyone could talk with their neighbors just fine in English. This leaves us with the unsatisfying, unromantic hypothesis that, when it comes to language, communication trumps nationalism and/or identity.
Of course, to really test this hypothesis, one would need to find other language revival situations that are either similar to Irish or to Hebrew and see if they too positively correlate success with linguistic complexity at inception.
The chart showing immigration to Israel is from Wikimedia Commons and has been released into the public domain by its original copyright holder. For more information see the file info.
Posts
Increase in business definitely difficult task u. S. Tradesmen could not run into or have prevented the in america alone record title still living and definitely, Expressed Republican Sen. Of your current visualization associated my clients are truly primarily based up to amount guests clearly, And then being a sexy method to be. This product mirrors a major reliability similar, And yet i'm not perfect to gauge whatever you provide for the circumvent, That you leave good sense supported by the way. Some guy.
ReplyDeletetags: Ray Ban Prescription Sunglasses, Ray Ban Round Sunglasses, 2020 Jordan Release Dates, New Black Yeezys, Air Jordan 1 Sale, Ray Ban Sunglass Hut
County Public Health Department recently ran some numbers, said chief science Coach Outlet Store officer Dr. Paul Simon. County's population was older than the rest of the state's. And Walterbos, R. A. M. Coach Handbags Clearance HSE advice is that an employer needs to consider e cigarettes in the wider context of risk in the workplace. We are aware that some organisations have banned their use but this is Coach Outlet not something HSE has advised on. Employers may want to ask for advice on this from Public Health : [email Some New Jordan Shoes 2020 organisations may find theWill you permit or prohibit electronic.
ReplyDeleteThe Prime Minister indicated "air bridges" could be implemented by the end of June, providing the UK reached agreements with countries deemed to be low risk. "There is certainly a willingness in Government to try Yeezy Discount to do Yeezy Boost 350 as much for this Ray Ban Outlet summer as is safe," said a Department for Transport (DfT) source. Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany are expected to have lifted border Ray Ban Glasses and quarantine restrictions for tourists by mid June so that most holiday travel could open up in July.