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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jun 2008 : 22:39:52
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All the laws, street address, instructions,books, legal documents in English. All the legal transactions done in English. English is thought in Schools. If you want to access any knowledge, one must learn from the English source. My point is wolof or other gambian languages are dominated by other languages because it is not written and as superior to English. How do we know if the language is superior? We just look at how much is it used? How many written? How many stories, poems are written? Are there any tafseer written in wolof, are there any computer books written in wolof?
Njucks. Of course compare to English, Arabic IS not as developed as English. But if you put in order, wolof are somewhere in the bottom. It is about degree of weakness. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 08:12:26
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Is it to do with weakness in the language?
I thought it was to do with political history and language being used as a means of control and domination.
Englishis spoken in many parts of the world. I dont see that as meaning english is a superior language, just that in the past Britain had alot of colonial power. |
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tamsier
United Kingdom
558 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 13:33:15
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Damn! I said i am not going to get involved, but Turk is getting on my nerves. If i say i will not do something, i tend to keep my promise, but Turk is going over-board. Anyway...
Gambiabev
You tell him. May be you can put some some sense into him. I wish you luck - because you are going to need it. The boy never listen.
Just because a language is not written does not mean it is weak. The alphabet that we all use today to write in english, french, etc, is not english at all, but it derives from latin. When writing was brought to Britain, english was a spoken language just like wolof, it did not mean it was weak. The few nobles and the church who were taught how to read and write did it in latin and not english. It took hundred of years before they wrote in english. Have a look at the ancient manuscripts in the UK, they were all written in latin.
As regards to why the laws, address, instruction, books etc are written in English, I refer you to Gambiabev's last paragraph.
As regards to Arabic, that is due to the fact that the quaran is written in arabic and the senegambian muslims use it for their religion. Even if some senegambian muslims believe like you do that arabic is superior to wolof or other senegambian languages, that is only limited to them - it does not hold water with the pagans or even the christians. |
Tamsier
Serere heritage. Serere religion. Serere to the end.
Roog a fa ha. |
Edited by - tamsier on 12 Jun 2008 13:41:39 |
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kiwi
Sweden
662 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 17:18:12
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I donīt think it is accurate to say that a language is week because it mainly is a spoken language. And you actually can write Wolof.
The amount of words and synonyms could be used as a measure.
If forming verb tenses is intricate, as well as definite form of nouns or use of pronouns are, then Wolof is rich.
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kiwi |
Edited by - kiwi on 12 Jun 2008 17:26:04 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 03:56:50
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tamsier says: Just because a language is not written does not mean it is weak.
oh, please tell me than how it will be taught? For example if i want to learn english, i would get some grammer books, dictionary etc. Go school? Tell me how I can learn wolof. The language is not about speaking daily conversation, nanga def etc. Are there articles, scientific papers, the law written in wolof. No.
During language revolution in Turkey between 1920 and 1924. The written turkish language started using Roman alphabet. All the books, law, signs, government signs revised and rewritten in English. All the new students used written turkish language in roman alphabet. If Gambia wants to protect their national identity, instead of English, they must start their local language to be the language of law, education and government. Otherwise it will disappear.
This is also important for the religion. As the imam and some others are able to use arabic when learning about islam. That gives them monopoly. There are no tafseer, kalam written in wolof so that people can learn about the religion.
Superiority I am talking about not only refers the excellence of grammar, vocabulary. Let us say English. While french language is excels when it is compares to english, english is more dominant in Europe because it is more practical to learn english.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 13 Jun 2008 04:13:03 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 04:07:52
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| Weakness of language is not only refering the excellence but also refering the impact on the society. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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tamsier
United Kingdom
558 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 11:15:00
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Turk
I can see we are going round in circles. So this is my last posting on this subject and I will deal with the core of your posting: if a language is not written how can it be taught?
I thought that was obvious even for you, but apparently not. When our ancient African ancestors spoke their language, it was handed down to their decendants right up to our generations without the need for it to be written. The language survived without being written. When my French friend was learning wolof, he socialised with the people, learned the language without writing it down. When the Jalis and Geweels were learning our history, genealogies etc, passed down from their ancestors, they did just fine without having to write it down - and before you even think of having a go at them, I urge you to read a posting I made couple of months ago when answering a question posed by Toubab1020 - titled:Influence of religion in senegambia [under history].
It is true that writing helps to remember things, but the brain is powerful if exercised. |
Tamsier
Serere heritage. Serere religion. Serere to the end.
Roog a fa ha. |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 12:29:55
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quote:
I thought that was obvious even for you, but apparently not. When our ancient African ancestors spoke their language, it was handed down to their decendants right up to our generations without the need for it to be written.
Yeah sure. In this age, you still rely the spoken language, on this internet, information age. cultural wars.i am more convinced locals languages in gambia does not much have chance to live. The time is different now. Now there are no borders, international trade, brands, pop culture, tv, international travelling more than ever. Wolof can be still preserved by talking. if you still don't get the importance of the written language, if you still don't get that the while there are other languages competing to influence gambian society , the wolof will be stronger than ever as long as you do not realize the protect your language. if you still do not get my point, i just have to close this debate on agree on disagreement.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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tamsier
United Kingdom
558 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 14:56:11
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| Perhaps someone can explain to me what this boy is saying. 'Talk about the written word'. As soon as I thought I am beginning to understand what his last posting is about, he throws me off completely with his grammar. This is totally unlikely you Turk. Are you in a hurry to do something? |
Tamsier
Serere heritage. Serere religion. Serere to the end.
Roog a fa ha. |
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