Linguistic Imperialism | a lawyer's perspective

Present is a scenario where I will be a lawyer who will be representing the Frisians and their language, and why it should be preserved rather than promoting the spread of the English language.

Arguments for supporting Frisian

Intrinsic argument

• Frisian is one of the earliest form of the Germanic languages, therefore having a major importance in the history of European languages
• Frisians have on their own literature dating back from the Middle Ages to the present day
• The language promotes tribal consciousness
• Frisian possesses its own vocabulary, morphology, and syntax and therefore obtains its own resources for complex concepts and feelings

Extrinsic argument

• Frisian is still relatively spoken in the Frisian areas, and therefore the speakers still obtain a big vocabulary
• Since recently Frisian has a 'google translate' page specially developed to help maintain the language and popularise it amongst Frisian youth 
• Frisian older generations are motivated to promote their language to younger generations
• Frisian people have, after years of pleeing, finally received the aknowledgement of Frisian as an official language of the Netherlands

Functional argument

• Because of the wide range of literature dating back from the Middle Ages, it is very resourcefull for historians and linguists 
• As it promotes tribal consciousness, people living in the Frisian areas will be able to identify themselves more with their origin as well as forming communal unity with one another
• Its own vocabulary, morphology, and syntax provides different resources for complex concepts and feelings

Arguments against the spread of English

Intrinsic argument

• Due to the trading power of the English during the Golden Age, the hegemonic spread English was a matter of course for the Frisian traders with the British.

Extrinsic argument

• Despite the fact that much trade is and was done in English, English was 'forced' upon the people. Therefore it shouldn't affect the native language of the Frisian areas.
• Frisian may have fewer speakers, but many educated such as professors, doctors, and teachers speak Frisian. And therefore the spread of the Frisian language can easily skyrocket if Frisian is thought in schools.

Functional argument

• English was popularized due to its hegemonic imperialism. It is branded as convenient as most people can speak it, however Frisian speakers are highly encouraged to increase the amount of its speakers through media and education. Frisian is still spoken at Frisian homes and therefore is much more convenient for its speakers than learning English as a third language (aside from Dutch or German)

Frisian Podcast

Here is the link to the podcast which I made together with Luc Blonden.
We will be discussing the endangered language Frisian, enjoy!

Frisian Language Podcast

The Only Speaker of his Tongue | David Malouf

"It is a mystery of the deep past, but also of now. We recapture on our tongue, when we first grasp the sound and make it, the same word in the mouths of our long dead fathers, whose blood we move in and whose blood still moves in us. Language is that blood."

In this passage from 'The Only Speaker of his Tongue', Malouf communicates the strong connection between language and culture as well as identity. The language dates back to his ancestors, who established many years ago the society he grew up in. This language dates back from the time where his forefathers had established societal mechanisms and beliefs, resulting in a deep connection between the language one speaks and its history. The language is what tells the history of a specific group of people, passing along generations of the same culture. Even though the language can tell the following generations about the beliefs and values of its society as well as its history, there remains an unknown history to the use of the language, "It is a mystery of the deep past". One can only interpret the language's role based on the possible stories that have been carried on, but evolution of the language may never be fully revealed due to its partially unkown nature. Malouf communicates how one culture as well as identity is being passed on through the language, by speaking the language of your community he shows us that you identify yourself to those values and beliefs of that particular community, as well as its uses. By speaking the language, one is open to the culture of their community as well as its historical origins, to when the language was created. Malouf show through the section "Language is that blood" that the culture is carried on through speaking the language, contributing to the developing identity of the individual speaking it. It is the history that is being passed on through a way of communication, as to how the ancestors built a culture to which its language is the messenger between the present and the past--connecting the younger speakers with their origin to help them shape their identity.

Language, Power & Resistance | Indigenous languages

Since language, knowledge and culture are associated with each other, losing an indigenous language may result in many negative consequences for its speakers as well as the world.

According to the United Nations, preserving indigenous languages such as Tlingit is a highly valued. The language itself, is the verbal translation of not only emotions, experiences, and observations, but also the translation of entire cultures. Languages, forms of communication by a specific groups, are vanishing all over the world due to lack of speakers or supression of dominant languages.

Inuit in Alaska cutting pukaangajuq, which is Inuit for the best snow for igloos

Ever since the many colonizations taking place in the 18th Century, indigenous languages have collapsed and been replaced with more dominant languages such as English, Spanish and French. As many of these languages are dying, important knowledge can be potentially lost as the language vanishes, an example are the scientific advances of indigenous languages. Languages such as Tlingit have more precise ways of describing botanicals, animals, etc. to which languages such as English have nothing as descriptive and precise to describe it. Many of these languages do not only have better ways of describing things but often have more namings for things with slight variation. Inuit for example, which is spoken by mostly Eskimos in the Northern areas have a whopping twentyways of describing snow. Varying from the word aniu to describe packed snow to upsik for wind-beaten snow.

Indigenous languages often have more (precise) ways of describing the natural world around us since these languages have existed for a very long time, full of discovery and observation. This also applies to the culture which is tied to the language. Of this languages is taken away, traditions and ways of life which pair up with the language will vanish. "the death of a language such as Tlingit means more than the loss of another obscure, incomprehensible  tongue. It marks the loss of an entire culture" Time Magazine. Therefore it is crucial to preserve indigenous languages in order to preserve its history and culture with it as well, which greatly expands our understanding of the world.