Debate - should we keep languages alive?
Gaelic, Welsh, Valenciano, Walloon, to name a few regional languages that governments around the world are trying to keep
alive. In this week’s debate we ask should governments keep threatened languages alive at all costs? Is there any point in
spending millions maintaining a regional language, when more and more countries around the world are adopting English
as their second language? Or should the languages just be allowed to die out naturally?
FOR
Languages are often what give a region or area
its own form of identification, without them the
citizens of that area would be left feeling they
were just a small part of a bigger picture, rather
than feeling enveloped within the community.
Although classed as regional, some languages
can claim greater numbers of speakers than
certain languages that happen to be official
languages of sovereign states. For example,
Catalan (a regional language of Spain and
France, albeit official in Andorra) has more
speakers than Finnish or Danish. Other
languages such as Walloon a regional language
spoken in certain areas of France and Scots, are
not really languages at all, but rather are
dialects. No attempt is made by governments to
maintain these types of dialects and without
doubt as time progresses they will alter and
some may even fall by the wayside with little
more than a murmur.
The main question is should the old languages
of countries be revived. In the north and west of
Scotland and all of Wales the government are
pouring in millions of pounds a year in keeping
these languages alive and especially in the case
of Gaelic Scots it is being brought back from
almost distinction, to being taught in primary
schools. I believe that regional languages of this
nature hold the keys to the history of a region.
They give individuals an identity that they share
in common with people of that region. They
may be united historically in other ways such as
being predominantly farmers or fishermen.
When encountering fellow speakers whilst out
of their normal region, gives them a sense of
being and a feeling of safety and security in
unfamiliar territories.
Why do we have here in Spain three co-official
languages in addition to the official language of
Castilian? There is also an additional five
unofficial languages. If you look at the
geographical spread of the regional languages
they are exclusively based on the borders and
coasts of the country. Like many languages they
have come into being, by traders
communicating with foreigners from other
areas. The foreigners have brought in new
words along with their wares. These have been
adapted to make the words easier to say in local
dialects and over the millennia, have become
part of the make up of the regional language. It
was Franco who insisted that everyone in Spain
speak a single language. This is the typical
action of a government in fear of losing power.
They find it difficult to infiltrate a community in
which they do not speak the language. It is also
a way to try and break the spirit of a community.
In South Africa the majority English descended
based government, would insist in beating
school children that were heard talking in Boer.
If for no other reason then I would always argue
that regional languages be kept alive. Children
in the regions of Valencia, Catalan and the
Basque area are made to learn the regional
language of that region. In Elche it is a
mandatory requirement for children to be fluent
in Valenciano if they wish to attend further
education in the town. Perhaps this is taking it a
bit too far, as this certainly causes problems
amongst children, joining the education system
from outside the area, even the other regions of
Spain. But it does create a people that are proud
of their heritage and language that goes back
thousands of years.
I hear the argument to spend money being
used for keeping regional languages alive, as a
waste of money that could be better spent on
health or improving public facilities. I can
empathise with that but many of these projects
are nothing more than bottomless pits. How
can you put a price on the maintenance of living
history?
Sean McSeveney
AGAINST
The main purpose of language is to allow
communication between individuals and groups.
If a language is dying out it suggests that there are
simply not enough people who need to or want
to communicate using that language. Why should
it be preserved with government sponsorship for
the benefit of a few when the money could be
used to benefit a wider audience in society? Let
natural selection take its course I say. The fittest
language will survive that is the one that most
people use to communicate with. That should be
an advantage in other ways as it should improve
communication and lead to fewer
misunderstandings arising solely because of using
different languages and the problems of effective
translation between them. Encouraging
individuals to learn and speak in a non
mainstream language will do them no good and
for social groups encouraged to do this it will
actually increase their sense of isolation and
separateness and become an obstacle to them
progressing economically. There is no strong case
that preserving the language helps preserve the
culture and vice versa. It is far from clear to what
extent language has anything whatsoever to do
with culture. There are many examples of cultures
that have survived without having a common
language spoken by all. The Roma people are a
classic instance where it is estimated that only 4
million of the world population of 10 million
actually speak Romany yet they maintain a very
strong set of shared cultural values and activities
and it is these social activities that go to identify
and frame the culture rather than the language
employed.
One of the difficulties in an ever increasing multi
cultural society is encouraging people to identify
and share a common national and group identity,
to develop shared activities that will help bind
them together rather than keep them apart.
Artificially encouraging or financially supporting
ethnic minority languages sends the wrong
message. It says that the government is
encouraging that separatism rather than working
in the opposite way to create a new national
identity.
Spain is an interesting example of this situation.
There is and always has been some would argue a
drive for greater regional autonomy in other words
for the regions to have greater control over the
taxes they raise and how the money is spent and in
deciding their own destiny. Some of the
arguments supporting this have been about
preserving regional culture and language.
Catalonia is a classic example and look how
divisive that regional argument is when it comes
to looking at issues such as water management
and distribution. Each region looking after its own
with little or no consideration for its neighbour or
what might be in the national interest.
Languages will survive if the social group using
them continues to use them and teach them as an
active part in what they are doing. It does not need
government support for this to happen. It will
happen naturally or not at all and if it does not
happen naturally why should public money be
spent on supporting a language that its
community will not support of its own volition.
That is just sheer misplaced romanticism.
There is an argument that preserving the diversity
of languages is rather like preserving a diverse
gene pool it will somehow make the human race
stronger or more creative but there is already a
plethora of live languages spoken by millions of
people around the world. Figures vary but the top
ten languages in the world are all spoken by over
100 million native speakers each and the top 30 by
over 40 million each. That seems like plenty of
diversity. How will it make us more creative if we
preserve a dying language? If works of art such as
literature are written in that language only those
who speak it will be able to appreciate it unless
more money is given to translate those works into
other languages. In the translation the subtleties
of that language will be lost so any ‘creative’
benefits there might have been will have been lost.
Once again that is muddled misplaced thinking.
The creative arts are as much about
communication as anything else, its ideas and
works need to reach as many people as possible
not as few as possible. As far as they concern
language they need to be in the mainstream to be
capable of reaching a wide audience. A creative
work is usually ‘of the moment’ that is it arises from
current thoughts and beliefs that artists have of
their life now and is best communicated in a
langue of ‘now’ which stands most chance of being
able to communicate those thoughts. English for
example is a wonderful language, not just because
we ourselves speak and write in it but because it is
adaptive and alive. New words are coined and pass
into the language to reflect the changes that are
happening in our every day lives around us, in the
way we live, developments in technology and so
on. English is a very expressive language with
subtlety others do not possess and a large
vocabulary. It is a perfect example of a language
that has changed over time but has survived. It has
evolved and so far successfully whilst others have
not adapted and will not survive naturally.
Governments would do better to put all their
support in offering courses in the main living
language or languages of their countries to
encourage and enable its citizens and particularly
its immigrants to talk and communicate with each
other. That way leads to less conflict and the ability
to learn about each other’s culture without the
barrier of a different language in the way. Cultures
are much more likely to be preserved if people
have a full appreciation and understanding of
them. That will not happen if they are cloaked and
surrounded in an archaic language that very few
speak and governments would do well to focus on
creating commonalties and the sense of one
community rather than supporting differences and
the sense of several communities.
Paul Mutter
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The Soaps
Emmerdale
Blood Ties. Doug fears Ashley may
give Arthur back to the Dolands, but
after a suggestion from Betty, he tries
to force Laurel to spend time alone
with her son and bond with the baby
by leaving her alone with him but the
young mother becomes terrified of
history repeating itself. Viv and Bob call
a family meeting to discuss the future
of the twins but Louise also has a suggestion
about the business. Louise’s
offer to buy the Hopes’ businesses
doesn’t go well so she puts pressure
on Viv by reminding her of the false
alibi she gave the police. Gennie worries
she’ll never be a proper Dingle but
spies a money-making opportunity
she suspects will help. Laurel makes
progress with Arthur Debbie gets jealous
when Eli opts to spend time with
Gennie rather than her. Louise apologises
to Viv about seemingly blackmailing
her but is shocked to find she
has decided to sign the business over
to her anyway. Katie informs Gray and
Perdy that she has opted for a Caesarean.
. Debbie lets slip to Pollard
about Gennie’s scheme as she continues
to feel jealous about Eli’s friendship
with the girl. Lexi asks Donald for another
chance at working for him, and
Donna tells Marlon to visit the job centre
as he continues to pretend to Diane
that he’s working happily at the Donald
tells Carl of his plans to retire and
asks him to be managing director of
the company in his place. Diane offers
Marlon his old job back at the pub
when she discovers the chef is unhappy
working at the cafe, and Eli
arranges lunch with Gennie but she
misunderstands him and thinks it’s a
date.
EastEnders
Mickey announces he’s taking the job
offered to Keith, hoping to make him
reconsider. Shirley comes up with a
money-making quiz night at the Vic,
but things don’t go as planned, and
Bianca is surprised when a TV is delivered
to Pat’s house. The drinkers at the
pub are shocked when a blood-covered
Sean stumbles in; Shirley and Vinnie
are caught out by Peggy’s
unexpected return, and Ben finds himself
stuck in the middle of an argument.
Stacey is shocked by what she
discovers when she cleans the blood
off Sean, and sets out with Bradley to
investigate. Max starts to use underhand
tactics to take control, leaving
Abi torn between her mum and dad;
Ronnie’s search for Roxy leads her to
Jack, where she discovers the truth
about him and Tanya. Stacey tries to
get Sean away from the Square to
keep him from causing more trouble.
Peggy doesn’t want anyone to know
Phil has left, but has other matters to
contend with when she takes a mysterious
phone call. Ronnie’s day goes
from bad to worse, as Jack tells her he’s
moving in with Tanya, and Max makes
a nuisance of himself in the Vic but
things start to look up when she learns
Roxy’s whereabouts. Peggy offers Billy
and his family a place to stay, while
Ben discovers his dad is planning to
find somewhere for them to live on the
other side of London.
Coronation Street
Tony’s offer prompts Rita to explore retirement
options, and the Peacocks
pack their bags when they realise
they’ve outstayed their welcome at
the Websters’. Racked with guilt about
letting her husband down, Liz plans a
holiday, making it clear to Harry where
he stands, and Jason has a heart-toheart
with Becky. Rita makes a decision
about Tony’s tender for the Kabin and,
as tempers fray in the cafe, Becky and
Roy reveal a few home truths. Meanwhile,
Lloyd gives Vernon a roof over
his head. Kevin loses his cool when he
discovers Tony has smooth-talked his
way into Sally’s good books and organised
a surveyor to value the
garage. With Sean revelling in his role
as breadwinner, Marcus investigates
college courses and Liam breaks off
from his life of leisure to discuss business
with cousin Tom. Fired up by
Kevin’s refusal to do a deal, Tony draws
Rosie into his latest scheme and Sean
gets a rude awakening when he returns
to the factory after a boozy lunch
break. Jason suggests he and Becky
book a holiday to give Eileen some
breathing space, while Tom and Liam’s
business plans hit a stumbling block.
Hollyoaks
Niall saves Tina from an attempted
mugging. Jacqui worries about the
baby’s fate when Tina is rushed to hospital,
while John Paul puts his plans to
leave the village with Kieron on hold
when he hears about her fall. Jacqui
and Tony assume they can claim Tina’s
baby as their own. Tony, Jacqui and
Dom take stock of Tina’s situation.
Tina refuses to hand baby Max over to
Jacqui.
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Celebrity Gossip
Madge and Guy on the rocks
Madonna is reported to have
told Guy Ritchie she wants a
divorce. The singer is
believed to have said she
has fallen out of love with
her director husband after
seven years of marriage. A
source is quoted in the Daily
Mirror as saying, “They were both
very calm. They both knew the
relationship was over. Madonna told Guy, 'I'm
sorry, I want a divorce.' And he agreed. It was
quite painless but very sad.”
Both are reported to have spoken to divorce
lawyers. Madge is rumoured to have hired Fiona
Shackleton, who represented Paul McCartney in
his much publicised split from Heather Mills. Guy
is said to have hired top London lawyers Forsters.
The pair are said to be determined for an
amicable as possible break up and have agreed
that the welfare of their children (Lourdes, 11;
Rocco, 7 and David, 2) is the
priority.
Uma Engaged
Uma Thurman is
reported to be
engaged to
boyfriend Arpad
Busson. The Kill
Bill actress has
been dating the Swiss
financier, nicknamed Arki, for a year. Uma
was spotted with an enormous
diamond ring at Elton John’s 10th
White Tie and Tiara benefit in
Windsor earlier this week.
A fellow party goer told the New
York Daily News that “All the ladies
were wide eyed because the ring was
so massive! It was so huge that she can’t
fit it through the sleeve of her coat!”
The 38 year old actress has two children
with ex husband Ethan Hawke.
Reese and Jake, up a tree....
Reese Witherspoon and
Jake Gyllenhall have
moved in together. Jake
moved in to Reese’s
$5m home in LA.
Rumours abound
that the couple are
planning to wed with
one source quoted as
saying, “Marriage is
definitely what they are
working toward.”
The couple are said to be joined at
the hip and have reportedly become so close
that Jake is helping with Reese’s two children,
Ava (8) and Deacon (4) from her previous
marriage to Ryan Phillippe.
The pair met on the set of film “Rendition”
and had initially denied rumours they were
together. They confirmed they were an item
last year when they were
spotted enjoying a romantic
weekend break in Rome.
Dark Knight tribute
for Heath
Actor Heath Ledger
will receive a
posthumous tribute at
the end of “The Dark
Knight” movie, it has been
confirmed. Ledger,
who died in January
after an accidental
overdose of prescription drugs, played
The Joker in the movie and is already
being tipped for a posthumous
Oscar for his role.
The tribute, which is to be
played at the end of the movie, also
acknowledges Conway Wickliffe, a
special effects technician who died in
an accident involving a stunt car. The
tribute reads, “In memory of our friends
Heath Ledger and Conway Wickliffe.”
The Dark Knight which also stars Maggie
Gyllenhall, Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale and Sir
Michael Caine, is due for release at the end of July.
Gwen’s son naming baby
Gwen Stefani is letting her two year old son, Kingston,
name her unborn baby. The singer is expecting her
second child with husband Gavin Rossdale and doesn’t
want her son to feel left out when his
brother or sister arrives.
One source said, “Gwen and Gavin
feel it is important that Kingston
does not feel left out before or after
his new baby brother or sister is
born. They want him to help them
choose his sibling's name so they
are asking him what he thinks. They
have come up with a few suggestions
so far.”
Gavin recently revealed that Gwen was
finding her pregnancy tough. He said, “It was
difficult at first. Gwen really wasn't well and it
was tough for her. She was just really tired and
was suffering, which is kind of sad in a way. I
mean, isn't it enough that nature distorts your
body and stretches and squashes your
organs?”
He now says that since
Gwen has reached her
third trimester, she
is much better,
“She is really
blossoming
now and she's
in a great
space. I'm just
trying to be right
there for her and
trying to help her
through it. It's not easy to be
pregnant.”
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Lomas de Cabo Roig
Lomas de Cabo Roig is situated near
to the beautiful seaside village of
Cabo Roig on the main road from
Cabo Roig to San Miguel. It is made
up mainly of a large urbanisation of
luxury residential properties and holiday
homes, surrounded by Fincas
and working farms. Although the
urbanisation is fairly large, it has a
very small village friendly feel to it.
A real community atmosphere
exists. People are very laid back and
friendly. Many residents questioned
said that they had made no mistake
by choosing to live in this wonderful
area. It is ideally suited to be close
enough to the bustling nightlife and
glorious beaches of the Orihuela
Costa, yet far enough away to offer
peace and quiet, and for those that
want it, the chance to walk in the surrounding
countryside, which is full
of wildlife. Many walks can be taken
from different parts of the urbanisation
and within minutes you can
enjoy tranquility and get close to nature.
Don’t be fooled into thinking
that just because you are not
in the hustle and bustle of
the main strip along the
N332 that Lomas de Cabo
Roig has no commercial facilities,
far from it. La Ronda
commercial centre serves the
local area. It has a host of
good quality bars, restaurants,
mail room, florists and
supermarkets.
If you need to keep in communication
with the outside
world then RT's is the place
you need to head for, they
offer many facilities including
Internet cafe and mail room
facilities. No need to head to
the packed strip if you want some
great food and entertainment. For
lovers of Asian and Eastern food, you
have a choice of restaurants including
Aladdin’s, a mouth watering
Persian Restaurant, and Hindustani
Roti serving fantastic Indian cuisine.
Ladies looking to make themselves
even more beautiful are well catered
for, with one of the best hair and beauty
salons in the area. Cutting Edge
is well recommended and has the
accolade of providing an award winning
stylist. What more could
a woman want? Perhaps a lovely
bunch of flowers! Tagua
the interflora florist has a
great reputation in the area
for providing the most lovely
flowers and bouquets, not
forgetting floral diplays, for
those special occasions and
parties. If you like your entertainment
live then there are few better
places to head than The Auld
Dubliner, an official Guinness Irish
pub. With live entertainment seven
days a week and some of the finest
drinks available from around the
world you won’t be left wanting.
With all these facilities so close you
don’t need to worry about having to
hire a taxi, or driving.
If you do decide to head to La Ronda
you will be able to enjoy a meal or
even just a cup of coffee whilst you
enjoy the stunning views, they really
are outstanding looking out to the
sea and wooded areas of the
surrounding countryside.
If you are keen golfer then not
too far away is the popular
golfing complex of Campoamor,
with an internationally
recognised 18 hole golf
course. Best to book an early
morning or late afternoon slot
at this time of year. Not keen on golf,
then you can try fishing. With the
Embalse de Pedrera not much more
than 20 minutes drive away, you can
enjoy a lovely picnic taking in the
stunning aqua marine coloured
water and wetting a line at the same
time. Or head down to the beach
with a few worms. What better a way
to relax for a few hours and off
course you will need to call into The
Auld Dubliner afterwards for that
well deserved ice cold beer.
Sean McSeveney
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Villamartin Plaza
Since the late 80s, the Villamartin Plaza
has
been a hub of commercial activity for
the prestigious Villamartin area.
With a plethora of shops, restaurants,
bars and beauty salons, the Plaza is
bustling day and night. Within the
square itself, a combination of cafes,
beautiful palm trees and chirping birds make it
the ideal location to while away the afternoon.
Once night falls, the Plaza takes on a new
atmosphere with holidaymakers and tourists
alike mingling amongst quality restaurants and
bars, enjoying the best Villamartin has to offer.
Tucked away in the corner is the cosy and
inviting Shandon Bells bar. Well known in the
area for excellent service and great
entertainment, Shandon Bells offers a warm
welcome and a cool pint as well as nightly
entertainment from 10pm to 1am.
On a completely different note, Salon
Margaretta’s has been in the plaza centre since its
inception in the late 80s. Catering for both men
and women, the salon deals solely in hair cuts and
styles and has five stylists to meet your needs
between 10am and 6pm on Tuesday to Friday and
from 10am to 2pm on Saturday.
Open from 9am to 5pm, Vanilla also caters for
hair as well as your every beauty need including
skin treatments and weightloss. If it’s your
gnashers you want to look after, try Sanydent
where you’ll find a range of dental treatments as
well as whitening and polishing.
If it’s a beer or snack you fancy, why not call
into the Caddy Shack where all meals are
homemade and you can choose from an array of
tapas. Jugs of sangria are just €10 and if you
want that authentic taste of Spain, try the paella.
Caesars bar is a family run establishment, open
every day including Sundays from 9am. A full
menu is available as well as “lite bites” or jacket
potatoes. In the evening, choose from the a la
carte menu or try one of the daily specials.
Bogeys bar also offers a range of drinks and
snacks as well as English food.
And to tell the folks at home what fun you’re
having here in Spain, why not pick up a few
postcards in Essentials where you’ll also find toys,
stationery, phone cards, souvenirs, jars of sweets
and much more.
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LOS DOLSES CENTRE & RIOJA CENTRE
Just a short walk or drive from the main
Villamartin Plaza lie two bustling commercial
centres. Ready to cater to your every need, the
Los Dolses and Rioja centres house some of the
finest internationally run businesses the area has
to offer.
If it’s a few cold beers and a footie match you’re
after, why not call into Sporting Life in the Los
Dolses centre. Open from 10am until late, you can
choose from a range of snacks or evening meals
while taking in all the major sporting events. For
racing aficionados, drop in during the day to catch
up on all the latest racing action. If you want to
take your sport further than the bar, then call in to
Sport Leisure where you’ll find all the latest in
sports wear, darts and snooker accessories.
Or you could choose the London Pub in the Los
Dolses centre, a family friendly bar with karaoke
every night. If you think your singing’s up to
scratch, why not take to the stage – if you score
100 points, you’ll receive a free shot! Friday night
is quiz night.
Big men who have a problem with teeny
Spanish men’s sizes need look no further than Big
Men Casuals. Again, located in the Los Dolses
centre, Big Men Casuals are open from 10am to
6pm on Monday to Friday and on Saturdays from
10am to 4pm. Quality is assured and you’ll find
sized from XXL to XXXXXXL inclusive. Big Men
Casuals stock UK sizes with UK quality, including
tshirts, shirts, jeans, vests and underwear.
Cornish Pride, open from 10am to 4.30pm
weekdays and on Saturdays until 2.30pm, offers a
delicious range of pasties, pies, savoury slices,
sausage rolls and more tasty treats. For those
with a sweet tooth, try scones, cream teas, buns,
cream cakes and more. Cornish Pride make a
range of delicious snacks and pies to take away
and also cater for parties and events.
One of five local EasyBuy offices in the region is
located in the Los Dolses centre. If you have a
property to sell, or wish to buy your dream
property, it couldn’t be easier than with EasyBuy
(the clue is in the name!) A unique no commission
property marketing company, why not call into
EasyBuy to see what they can do for you.
Hellies eat in or take away offers top quality
breakfasts with tea or coffee for just €5. On
Sunday, there is a hog roast from 5.30pm and
regular entertainment throughout the week.
Angels bar, open from noon daily, offers an
extensive summer cocktail menu and if you buy
two bottles of Bud, you’ll get one for free!
It’s not just bars and restaurants in Los Dolses
though, Ed Hill’s photography studio is also
located in the centre and will cater for all your
needs including portraits, landscapes and even
underwater photography.
Game Zone not only offers games and fun for all
the family, but you can also surf the net, browse
the sweet shop and buy candy floss in store.
QuikSave supermarket is open from 9am to
5pm on weekdays and from 9am to 2pm on
Saturdays. Here you’ll find UK brand food as well
as all the daily papers, magazines and beach
accessories.
Also in the Los Dolses centre, you’ll find C&G
windows offering top quality windows and free
estimates. And finally, if it’s a haircut your after,
try Panache.
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