| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you lament the loss of languages? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Losing a language is losing a culture!
| | | | | Yes - the same way I mourn the loss of extinct birds or mammals | Jan 26, 2016 |
The Economist has a long tradition of writing about these issues, and employ staff writers that are deeply committed to linguistics and the study of language as cultural study. I though the same attitudes would be prevalent among translators, but alas ....
(and this brings us back to the recent poll about whether translators are intel... See more The Economist has a long tradition of writing about these issues, and employ staff writers that are deeply committed to linguistics and the study of language as cultural study. I though the same attitudes would be prevalent among translators, but alas ....
(and this brings us back to the recent poll about whether translators are intellectuals)
http://www.economist.com/node/3518542
[Edited at 2016-01-26 16:11 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | "Lament" may be a bit strong, | Jan 26, 2016 |
but I do think it's sad, yes. A language can contain a whole world view, including cultural aspects that are specific to that language groups in fine and subtle ways that can only be shared through that medium. A bit sadder, even, than the loss of grandparents (though not in terms of personal grief, of course): as older generations die, new ones are born and indeed global population keeps increasing, but the same can't be said of languages, which overall are on the decrease.
| | | | | The disappearing Alsatian dialect | Jan 26, 2016 |
I think it is even sadder to see a language (or a dialect) slowly dying.... In my case I am very involved in several projects to help to preserve the Alsatian dialect - a dialect that has been moulded by and has also played its part in moulding the culture of this particular corner of France. However parents are no longer speaking it to their children (although they still speak Alsatian between themselves), which will, over time (probably within just a few generations) cause the language to die ... See more I think it is even sadder to see a language (or a dialect) slowly dying.... In my case I am very involved in several projects to help to preserve the Alsatian dialect - a dialect that has been moulded by and has also played its part in moulding the culture of this particular corner of France. However parents are no longer speaking it to their children (although they still speak Alsatian between themselves), which will, over time (probably within just a few generations) cause the language to die out entirely. I personally think that is a great shame, especially as it is not a written language, but only really exists as a spoken dialect, so there is no real way to document its current form(s).... ▲ Collapse
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Mónica Algazi 
Uruguay
Local time: 19:53
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
| Cultural footprint washed away | Jan 26, 2016 |
When a language vanishes, a whole culture and its unique way of thinking and seeing the world are washed away. Personally, I do mourn the loss of the language spoken by my grandparents, which only a handful of people remember - let alone use - by now.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 19:53
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Not clear... | Jan 27, 2016 |
It's not clear for me if the asker meant the loss of an entire language that ceasses to exist because its last speaker died (like many Indian dialects in Brazil) or the gradual loss of the characteristics of an existing and widely spoken language.
I answered "yes" considering the second choice.
The Portuguese language has lost and is losing a lot with undue foreign words (above all from English) and undue (literal) translations widely adopted by all, like "completação... See more It's not clear for me if the asker meant the loss of an entire language that ceasses to exist because its last speaker died (like many Indian dialects in Brazil) or the gradual loss of the characteristics of an existing and widely spoken language.
I answered "yes" considering the second choice.
The Portuguese language has lost and is losing a lot with undue foreign words (above all from English) and undue (literal) translations widely adopted by all, like "completação" for completion, "salvar" for save, "deletar" for delete, and things like that. This would be sad enough. But a major language destroyer lately is the so-called "politically correct". There are dozens of terms I used regularly as I learned in my school books, like negro, mulato, favela, handicapped, blind, fat, ignorant, and so many others that I simply cannot use anymore. And all new terms "invented" to replace them become politically incorrect in a glimpse. If this stupid fashion is not supressed soon, we will be unable to say many things in documents very soon. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 18:53
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Losing one's language | Jan 27, 2016 |
Mario Freitas' comments reminded me of one thing, and it's not the barrage of loanwords that feel like an assault on our native tongues. It's the pervasive use of politically correct terms. In American English, we can't say nigger unless we are black people. Weird, huh?
Some words get (over)loaded with political, religious or gender overtones that one has to walk on eggshells to communicate and avoid disturbing someone else's sensitivities.
I could complain how ... See more Mario Freitas' comments reminded me of one thing, and it's not the barrage of loanwords that feel like an assault on our native tongues. It's the pervasive use of politically correct terms. In American English, we can't say nigger unless we are black people. Weird, huh?
Some words get (over)loaded with political, religious or gender overtones that one has to walk on eggshells to communicate and avoid disturbing someone else's sensitivities.
I could complain how the Spanish language is being invaded by so many technical and business English words. But the invasion was done by Spanish on other languages too. During the golden age of the Spanish empire, Spanish was promoted as an empire language. Consequently, everybody wanted to be fashionable and learn Spanish during that time.
We can't divine which language will be a world empire language next, after English. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Chié_JP
Japan
Local time: 07:53
Member (2013)
English to Japanese
+ ...
| Cultural continuity - OK to lose just language and variety issue - Not OK to lose | Jan 27, 2016 |
Even if we speak different languages, What if lifestyle and way of thinking are identical? It is culture that matters, not the vessel itself (though vessels have its own property and are beautiful in itself from time to time)
Gitte Hovedskov, MCIL wrote:
As someone whose mother tongue is a minority language (only about 5.6 million native speakers, I believe), I see foreign words slipping into my language continually, and I try to fight that, at least in my translation work. But I doubt that Danish will vanish completely anytime soon.
My own family is probably descended from the Vikings, but I don't lament their culture having vanished into the past, nor does it bother me that I don't understand the language they used.
True, cultural heritage is significant and even if one is lost new one is continuously born into this world.
Rather than language, we lament loss of culture itself.
As long as you do not keep their dictionary, language is more severely forgotten compared to other elements
- but, well, we kind of value the continuity and evolution of culture, rather than just the existence.
I think it is more related to cultural variety issue. Once a young British person coming to Osaka deplored that Japan is like the US in everything now - the lifestyle look alike all over the world.
Still, some visitors from the world like Japan as tourist destination
- exactly because few people speak English, UNLIKE other destinations! (and I could have disappointed them by communicating in English language)
[2016-01-27 07:04 GMTに編集されました]
[2016-01-27 07:07 GMTに編集されました]
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