It is not an easy task, but only caring about a Wikipedia and a dictionary (in Wiktionary or WiktionaryZ) is not enough. Like Berto said: we need cool stuff, things that attract young people ... it must be fun and cool again to speak and write another language, the mother tongue maybe or that one of friends.
Let's take the example of Neapolitan. Now you will say: well, but it is not in the red book of endangered languages ... not now ... if we stand here and wait it will be part of it very soon. Oh yes, great ... there are all these famous songs, poems, films ... well: they are confined in their angle ... we need Neapolitan in everyday life.
I was answering to Berto's "we need something fun for young people to start off with" ... when a link came along my way, by chance, through Gerard - the link to the website of a Wikipedian ... and there I found something really interesting: a link to a comic they are creating: http://www.nutkidz.net/ - well, it is a comic ... have a look at the archive ... fun stuff ... well yes, we should translate it into Neapolitan ... and I already have the answer: we may translate it into any language.
That leads me to what we need in Neapolitan (and of couse the same is valid for all other languages as well)
- people need to understand that what they speak is a language - that it has a high cultural value and that it should be treated like English, French, Italian, Spanish etc. - they should be very proud of it
- we need the language to be used in everyday life - not only with friends
- we need localised software
- we need localised websites
- we need localised games
- we need cartoons, new stories, news
- we need our wikipedia :-)
- we need a freely accessible dictionary with downloadable data
- we need spell checkers
- we need to get old documents out to the public - even only scanned without OCR
Besides caring about language only: old traditions need to be kept alive ... just thinking about the Neapolitan cribs in Maiori ... how to make Mozzarella (handmade) ... we should write down stories old people tell us ... but how much can a handful of people do?
Now you might say: well, I would like to do something, but even if I am of Neapolitan origin I don't speak the language ... no probs ... if you want to help: there are many, many things to do ... first of all: look in the old stuff you have at home, ask your grandparents, try to find texts, photos ... all is important ... it is like a giant jigsaw puzzle ... each piece needs to find its place.
Well, I could go ahead ... there's so much to do and to write about and for sure I will come back to this theme over and over again.
1 comment:
Well, you might be right - but we must and will stay away from politics. It is good to create a sense of unity to maintain the culture. Centering not only on language, but also on crafts and other local traditions we should have a better chance. Underlining diversity does not mean to be political. Underlining diversity will also have advantages on business ... it might sound strange right now, but imagine: what scope would you have to come to Naples, Venice, Rome etc. if it was not for its unique culture, habits, the feeling you have in these places ... language is part of it ... and as strange as it might seem: tourism needs this diversity, culture, language ... people in certain regions, not only in Italy, live on tourism ... so it is in their own interest to preserve their heritage.
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