Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id KAA18415 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 21 Feb 2001 10:24:17 GMT Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745C9B@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Lesser genes than expected Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2001 10:23:40 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi Kenneth,
I think I've seen or heard this before somewhere. One possible reason is a
combination of geography and population size. Relatively small in
comparison to surrounding nations (and languages), and accessible to them
through land borders (and not far away from the UK or Scandanavia by boat),
in order to preserve a distinct identity diplomacy and negotiation were
likely to be far more successful than military opposition, hence learning
other languages becomes ingrained as a good useful practice.
Compare that to, say, contemporary Britain, where a combination of imperial
history, and geographical isolation has led to a lack of interest in
learning other languages. Throw in other nations willingness to learn
English (thanks to the Septics' politico-economic dominance of the last
century- not quite the same language but close enough), and this adds to the
apathy for other tongues, and probably goes a long way to explaining why
we're conversing in English, not Flemish.
Vincent
(P.S. that's Septic as in Septic Tanks= Yanks)
> ----------
> From: Kenneth Van Oost
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 9:01 pm
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: Lesser genes than expected
>
> Hi Joe,
> You wrote,
>
> > We are also born with the capacity to learn any language, and do
> > so easily during our critical period (preadolescence); afterwards, it
> > is much more difficult for most of us to master additional tongues.
>
> << I don 't wanna be misunderstood, but we...the Flemish, can easily
> learn additional tongues without any trouble...from English, Hindi to
> Chinese. Some do it better than others...
> Anyway, 41 % speak our native language + two more and only 26 % in
> the EU.
> We are with 83 % against 72 % for the EU interested in more languages.
> How would you explain this....
> Flemish people speak Dutch, not French....
>
> Best,
>
> Kenneth
>
> ( I am, because we are)
>
>
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===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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