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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Oct 2009 : 22:10:15
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Janko, this topic about language comes up once a while and your inputs are always very interesting. Reminds me of http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4243
When we had our first child, the first things our Doctor advised us was to speak to the child in the language we can best express ourselves in, tell stories et cetera. We were also advised to be consistent and never to mix languages to our children because they will naturally find a new language much easier to learn.
I have a Tuculor friend from Mauritania who only speaks Fulani to his children; the mother speaks Norwegian to them. Watching them communicate, they reply their father in Fulani and the mother in Norwegian. They speak Danish and English with the friends of the parents.
My own children speaks Mandingka, Danish, English, the eldest understands Wolof because my Lebu friends only speak Wollof to them. Two of them are having English, French, Chinese and German at school and they are good at learning languages than their classmates. They think in both Mandinka and Danish. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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sss
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 05:52:54
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quote:
Originally posted by toubab1020
Kay.Like you I await developments in "articulation" 
am just busy thats why the delay in responding.i will give my full english articulation soon.toubad,your articulation i neither admired nor should you be proud, an english afterall.am not remorseful about my english. |
THE MESSENGER OF GOD(peace and blessing be always upon him)SAID,"WHOEVER WALKS WITH A TYRANT IN SUPPORT OF HIM,WHILE AWARE OF HIS TYRANNY,HAS ABANDONED ISLAM."At-Tabarani
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 10:55:53
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sss.
We all look forward to your "articulation" (as Kay puts it,he does like to use many words), it will be very informative,it was not my intention for you to "admire" what I have written,just to point out that if your posts are to be taken seriously you should be aware that insults are not good in any language or culture if that be an African language or some other language,insults are just bad manners.
I am proud that I speak English,a language that is widely understood worldwide.I also admit that my ability to speak many other languages is not good.
Africans,and perhaps yourself speak and are understood in many languages.When you are not "just busy" give your opinion to bantaba readers on this topic, I would like to read what you have to say.
I KNOW that you have a very very good grasp of the English language but due to the way you have written before you cannot use English in the way that you would really like in order to put your opionions forward.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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sss
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 13:47:46
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quote by toubad
"I KNOW that you have a very very good grasp of the English language but due to the way you have written before you cannot use English in the way that you would really like in order to put your opionions forward"
i do not have a very very good grasp of the english language nor i am remorseful about my ability(english articulation if you like.if i do i will be betraying my new found hero wan thiongo.
i dont recall insulting you.do you mean the one about close to being a racist.am sorry i dont consider that insult.may be am thinking and reason in mandinka and english thats why.
3s does admire kayjatta articulation especially on legal issues.
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THE MESSENGER OF GOD(peace and blessing be always upon him)SAID,"WHOEVER WALKS WITH A TYRANT IN SUPPORT OF HIM,WHILE AWARE OF HIS TYRANNY,HAS ABANDONED ISLAM."At-Tabarani
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Edited by - sss on 09 Oct 2009 14:05:51 |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 13:55:35
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The french have a word which is used in the English language as well sss, that is "touche" just in case that is not clear,this link will explain all:!!
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/touche
(you have to scroll down the page a bit after the ads.)
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 09 Oct 2009 13:59:01 |
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sss
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 14:14:01
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| what a big freaking waste it will be to be arguing with you,so i say you WIN.I hope you win many of those. |
THE MESSENGER OF GOD(peace and blessing be always upon him)SAID,"WHOEVER WALKS WITH A TYRANT IN SUPPORT OF HIM,WHILE AWARE OF HIS TYRANNY,HAS ABANDONED ISLAM."At-Tabarani
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 14:17:44
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SSS. What a great improvement in your English its a pity that you dont want to join in its not about winning or not winning,just discussing things that concern The Gambia,there are no winners or losers just opinions.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 09 Oct 2009 14:58:09 |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 15:44:32
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Momodou, thanks, for linking this post to the previous one.
That reminds me of the classical debate nature and environment. I suppose what we amass in our God-given brain are our personal experiences from the environment we live. It is not impossible for a child born and lives in Kaba kama to learn to speak English before being able to speak his or her home language (nursery school), but imagine the psychological effect that would have on his/her self understanding and pride.
The Swedish school board is very strict on giving pupils having other home languages than Swedish a home language teacher. For a child to be able to learn other languages s/he has to have the ability to speak and understand his/her first language, home language; a foundation for acquiring knowledge
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Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 17:25:08
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| Janko.A child should learn his home language first,parents speak it, friends speak it,brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, so its natural and normal, I thought that we were discussing language that would be of help to an African nation that wants to join the outside world in terms of trade and exposure,many African speak 7 or 8 local languages I know nothing of Swedish school practice but from your post it would appear an excellent idea and perhaps one that African nations could adopt. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 18:18:41
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toubab1020 yes, amongst other things like "the source of tribalism as a political capital".
My point is to show the dilemma of teaching pupils in a language that has no reference to their everyday reality and the schizophrenic effect that could have on their feature education, knowledge about themselves and self pride.
So, if it is natural for a child to learn his home language first, is it not equally natural for that child to use that same language as a tool to seek knowledge to shape his/her worldview.
If the only way for Gambia to join the world community is by speaking and communicating in a colonial language, English, then the outside world is not ready to trade or accept Gambia on equal terms. For China a member of the world community is speaking Chinese not English, Germany is not, France is not, Japan is not
Why should that be a criterion for Gambia?
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Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
Edited by - Janko on 09 Oct 2009 18:22:56 |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 20:16:23
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Janko,I agree totally with your first paragraph.
The main reason I think that local African languages may be a disadvantage to trade is that there are so many of them,OK Chinese have a lot of variations as well but their ethic is dominated by a central committee headed by a prominant figure and when that figure controls so many people and says work and make and sell things that others want then they do it ,they are Chinese.
france and germany are a little different in that their languages are standard so no problem for them.I being born in England would prefer the English Language to be used,because I believe it is the most understood language in many countries.No problem with Chinese let Africa select Chinese as a second language and boom like China. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 09 Oct 2009 20:18:15 |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2009 : 22:48:43
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toubab, point taken
I thought the point here is that colonial languages should be second and not first languages. To suggest Chinese in the context of the post is beyond my comprehension, hence it is not implied anywhere.
You mean the only way Gambia (a country in the Africa continent) can be accepted on equal terms internationally is to speak any other language than the Gambian languages. Or did I misunderstand you
?
History has taught us that a revolution is some times necessary to change human perception for the better. For example the Copernican revolution and other scientific revolutions were a necessity for our present day development
and in many fields of knowledge for that matter.
Gambia shall prosper in all strata without the colonial languages taking the first room, no shall she be isolated because she recuperates the first room for her languages. Furthermore, hence Rome was not build in a day so shall the recuperation of her languages take the time needed.
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Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
Edited by - Janko on 09 Oct 2009 23:15:32 |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 10 Oct 2009 : 00:46:35
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There is not a Gambian language there are several, I.e. Jola, Fula,Mandinka etc.so in order for outsiders to communicate effectivly with ALL Gambians they would have to speak all 7 main languages,this is not practical,why? because those coming to trade with Gambia a small country would not think it a viable proposition to teach their people over a long period of time in order to gain trade that again due to the size of the country and population would not yeald a great deal of profit (that's what traders do make money) .
Momodou said in his post:
My own children speaks Mandingka, Danish, English, the eldest understands Wolof because my Lebu friends only speak Wollof to them. Two of them are having English, French, Chinese and German at school and they are good at learning languages than their classmates. They think in both Mandinka and Danish.
You wrote:
If the only way for Gambia to join the world community is by speaking and communicating in a colonial language, English, then the outside world is not ready to trade or accept Gambia on equal terms. For China a member of the world community is speaking Chinese not English, Germany is not, France is not, Japan is not
Why should that be a criterion for Gambia?
I responded to your Chinese input by trying to show that China was a great power in being able to trade and give others what they wanted by having a work ethic controlled by a central figure,if that is what Gambia wants, money from trading and making things to sell to others then atitudinal change is what is wanted to encourage development,
Therefore if the Chinese can be a great trading nation speaking Chinese then I concede that Gambia should adopt Chinese as a second language or manage with their own local languages,and not English.
I am not knocking local languages at all it is important that a second language that is understood by many people from other lands is in place for trading.Local language for everyday use by local people great all in favour.
Your last paragraph is a timely reminder of the strength of feeling that exists when a discussion takes place regarding culture.local language is a part of culture.
"Gambia shall prosper in all strata without the colonial languages taking the first room, no shall she be isolated because she recuperates the first room for her languages. Furthermore, hence Rome was not build in a day so shall the recuperation of her languages take the time needed."
Thats me.
quote:
Originally posted by Janko
toubab, point taken
I thought the point here is that colonial languages should be second and not first languages. To suggest Chinese in the context of the post is beyond my comprehension, hence it is not implied anywhere.
You mean the only way Gambia (a country in the Africa continent) can be accepted on equal terms internationally is to speak any other language than the Gambian languages. Or did I misunderstand you
?
History has taught us that a revolution is some times necessary to change human perception for the better. For example the Copernican revolution and other scientific revolutions were a necessity for our present day development
and in many fields of knowledge for that matter.
Gambia shall prosper in all strata without the colonial languages taking the first room, no shall she be isolated because she recuperates the first room for her languages. Furthermore, hence Rome was not build in a day so shall the recuperation of her languages take the time needed.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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