Please click here to leave an anniversary message (in any language you choose). You do not need to be a member of Lowlands-L to do so. In fact, we would be more than thrilled to receive messages from anyone. Click here to read what others have written so far.
What’s with this “Wren” thing?
The oldest extant version of the fable
we
are presenting here appeared in 1913 in the first volume of a two-volume anthology
of Low
Saxon folktales (Plattdeutsche
Volksmärchen “Low German Folktales”)
collected by Wilhelm Wisser (1843–1935). Read
more ...
en years? It doesn’t seem like a lot to someone who has been around the block
a few times. It seems like an eternity to a youngster, given that it’s just
about the average length of basic education in industrialized nations. While
not exactly like an eternity, it is a pretty long time on the Internet, and
it’s an exceptionally long time in the rather novel world of “e-zines” and
“e-lists.” Most electronic discussion lists are like trendy restaurants and
boutiques: flashes in the pan, here today and gone tomorrow. There’s always
a newer and supposedly
better
one coming
along. Many “listers” flit from e-flower to e-flower, staying just long
enough to sample le nectar du jour. So, we at Lowlands-L feel that in the fleeting world of global electronic meeting places the completion
of the tenth year spells longivity, is a major milestone, an occasion worth
celebrating.
We are delighted that you joined this little
party of ours, even if you do
so
for
just long enough to take a peek at what’s going on here.
“How could it not be a joy when friends come from afar?”
Chinese proverb
I was very surprised when the first twenty or thirty people from various
countries subscribed to Lowlands-L right after its establishment was announced on the Linguist list and elsewhere in April and May of 1995. I wasn’t technologically as savvy
and jaded then (not that I am terribly much of either even now). So this
seemed like a minor miracle to me. Besides, I expected at best a handful of
language
“geeks”
to
assemble
over
time; so
this
quick
and seemingly tremendous response came as a real surprise, as a somewhat scary
surprise—“be careful what you ask” ... Now came the time to get the show on the road, to deliver to a steadily increasing
group of people from all over the world. After a year or so we had about two
hundred subscribers. With very close to the half-millennium
mark now, Lowlands-L still isn’t one of the largest or even larger lists,
but it has endured and has a relatively large core of loyal and devoted
members,
many of them since the early days, some even from the very beginning. Now,
this may not be world peace, but it isn’t anything to sneeze at either, is
it?
And the part about delivering? Well, it took some practice, but things
have been working out so far. By and large, we have remained faithful to our
initial focus and goals. We only had to slightly tweak the rules and guidelines
to accommodate technological advances. We stayed with the same group of languages
and cultures, though several years ago we included Limburgish and Zeelandic/Western
Flemish as discrete entities. We have amassed a vast body of information in
our archives. The one that began in May 1999 is freely accessible online; the
earlier one still awaits online conversion (which is one of several projects
yet to be seen to).
Lowlands-L came
to be hosted by Linguist, the oldest and largest linguistics list—and it shares its resources with related
lists in exchange for information sharing, yet without any other obligations.
They have been most gracious hosts and deserve a word or two of thanks, especially
Anthony Aristar and Michael Appleby for their personal assistance with technical
and procedural matters.
Βοήθα με να σε βοηθώ ν’ ανεβούμε το βουνό.
“Help me so I can help you
so we can climb the mountain.”
Greek proverb
Even though it rarely seemed like work, we have dragged a very large number
of questions, problems, topics and even discoveries across the discussants’
arena into our archival vaults. Among other things, we have disseminated
information about linguistic and cultural varieties that are rarely mentioned
elsewhere,
some of them overshadowed by mainstream languages and cultures, some of them
kicked to the curb as worthless, some of them mere childhood memories, and
some of them mere relics from times long past. We have combined our knowledge
and discoveries to work our way back to earlier stages, even to beginnings.
Together we have been learning about details, about differences and commonalities,
have
encouraged each other to disregard garden fences, political borders and the
boundaries of the mind, and together we have been getting closer to a vantage
point from which to see the bigger picture.
While Lowlands languages and cultures have been our common intellectual
focus we have been reaping the social and emotional rewards awaiting those
that dare to reach out to fellow human beings everywhere. This makes for
tremendous growth opportunities. This is why a casual
yet respectful
and challenging yet supportive and always non-hierarchical atmosphere has
been very important to us. Our members come from many walks of life, from many
countries, have different
cultures,
and their ages range from the early teens to the late eighties. Many of us
realize that the educational disciplines we deal with seem rather intimidating
to many who are interested but fear that they lack the knowledge to follow
and contribute. We have never aspired to being an academic club, nor have
we
ever aimed at the lowest denominator. We have always welcomed anyone who shares
our interests and goals and who is
prepared
to
act according to our rules and guidelines. We are fully aware that by helping
those
with less pertinent formal education we really help everyone, but we expect
them to be serious about learning beyond the level of coffee table chats. Furthermore,
we fully realize that everyone has something to contribute, even if “only”
by asking questions.
Similarly, we have never limited ourselves to being a gathering place
of those with certain linguistic, cultural or ethnic backgrounds. Again, we
welcome anyone, and this has been making for enrichment for everyone. Everyone
is a “Lowlander” on our list, by virtue of merely being interested.
The language group to which we pay attention happens to have as members
the currently most powerful language (namely English) and some of the “smallest”
and most severely moribund languages (for instance the Frisian varieties used
in Germany). This compels us to investigate linguistic and also cultural issues
from different
points of view. In the process, most of us have learned that languages themselves
cannot be blamed for the decline or even disappearance of other languages,
that it is people that allow or even will this to happen, sometimes even the
speakers of declining languages themselves, those that have been brainwashed
into believing that their languages are inferior, those that abandon them
or fail to pass them on to their offspring.
“As knowledge increases, wonder deepens.”
Charles Morgan (1795–1878)
The kind of thing that keeps us Lowlanders interested day after day is
the discovery of great similarities in our family of linguistic and cultural
varieties, similarities often concealed by orthographical and terminological
differences, differences that seem great and alienating only at first glance.
We keep discovering that the continua of our linguistic and cultural heritage
have not yet been totally torn apart by political borders, by national centralization
or even by geographic distance. Such awareness brings us closer together, and
this is very timely given the steadily waning importance of national borders
and dramatic advances in international electronic communication that can be
utilized
on personal levels.
At the same time, we keep discovering how adaptable our linguistic and
cultural heritage has been, how in new locations it has taken on new, even
“exotic” forms and colors yet has been fundamentally true to its roots. Oftentimes
several closely related varieties came together and mixed with indigenous varieties
of faraway lands. In such cases it tends to be difficult to tell which European
varieties participated in the creation of new ones, such as in the cases of
Afrikaans and Appalachian.
“Good, the more communicated, grows.”
John Milton (1608–1674)
All Lowlanders, past and present, are to be thanked for having contributed
to the life of Lowlands-L, especially those that have been active participants and have given much of
their inquisitiveness, knowledge, time and effort. Kudos to those who have
been with us from the beginning or for close to ten years, also to those that
have helped with administrative matters and those that participated in our
special projects, such as “Lowlands Talk” and this 10th anniversary presentation,
also all non–Lowlanders who contributed as guests of honor. Very special thanks
go out to all of the many helpers of this 10th anniversary project, especially
those that went way beyond the call and those that helped without being members
of our group.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant:
brethren dwelling together!”
Torah/Old
Testament, Psalm 133:1
On a personal note, I have made many friends on Lowlands-L, and this alone is
very gratifying. Furthermore—and I do not mean this to be patronizing or condescending—I
have been taking enormous pleasure in watching a good number of members “blossom”
over the years, be it in terms of knowledge, understanding, outlook or skills—linguistic,
investigational and social skills. I remember some of our now “old hands”
and savvy debaters being lost, bewildered and skeptical when they were newcomers.
Directly or indirectly, Lowlands-L has inspired and helped quite a few to
pursue related courses of study, careers and hobbies or to organize related
activities in their more immediate communities. Many members who had not done
so previously have come to realize that all language varieties are worthy
of respect and study, and this realization has led them to take fresh looks
at language varieties their societies had taught them as children to look
down upon. Also where there is little or no relevance to Lowlands-L, I have
watched some of our members “make it out there,” succeed educationally and professionally,
find love, start families, and begin retirement with lots of interesting projects
awaiting them; and, yes, a couple of times I have had to wave final farewells.
Furthermore, I have noticed that I myself have grown and matured in various
ways, not least because of my Lowlands-L activities.
What has been bringing us together are common interests and great eagerness
to share questions and knowledge, eagerness for discovery as a group of individuals
reaching out to each other across various sorts of boundaries. The rewards,
accomplishments and victories are not limited to the intellectual sphere;
they have been variously interpersonal as well. We
have achieved
a lot in ten
years, and
much
of it may become apparent to us sometime in the future. We have grown together, and we have grown together.
To and for all members and friends of the Lowlands-L family over the years I give thanks.
Please click here to leave an anniversary message (in any language you choose). You do not need to be a member of Lowlands-L to do so. In fact, we would be more than thrilled to receive messages from anyone. Click here to read what others have written so far.
What’s with this “Wren” thing?
The oldest extant version of the fable
we
are presenting here appeared in 1913 in the first volume of a two-volume anthology
of Low
Saxon folktales (Plattdeutsche
Volksmärchen “Low German Folktales”)
collected by Wilhelm Wisser (1843–1935). Read
more ...
en years? It doesn’t seem like a lot to someone who has been around the block
a few times. It seems like an eternity to a youngster, given that it’s just
about the average length of basic education in industrialized nations. While
not exactly like an eternity, it is a pretty long time on the Internet, and
it’s an exceptionally long time in the rather novel world of “e-zines” and
“e-lists.” Most electronic discussion lists are like trendy restaurants and
boutiques: flashes in the pan, here today and gone tomorrow. There’s always
a newer and supposedly
better
one coming
along. Many “listers” flit from e-flower to e-flower, staying just long
enough to sample le nectar du jour. So, we at Lowlands-L feel that in the fleeting world of global electronic meeting places the completion
of the tenth year spells longivity, is a major milestone, an occasion worth
celebrating.
We are delighted that you joined this little
party of ours, even if you do
so
for
just long enough to take a peek at what’s going on here.
“How could it not be a joy when friends come from afar?”
Chinese proverb
I was very surprised when the first twenty or thirty people from various
countries subscribed to Lowlands-L right after its establishment was announced on the Linguist list and elsewhere in April and May of 1995. I wasn’t technologically as savvy
and jaded then (not that I am terribly much of either even now). So this
seemed like a minor miracle to me. Besides, I expected at best a handful of
language
“geeks”
to
assemble
over
time; so
this
quick
and seemingly tremendous response came as a real surprise, as a somewhat scary
surprise—“be careful what you ask” ... Now came the time to get the show on the road, to deliver to a steadily increasing
group of people from all over the world. After a year or so we had about two
hundred subscribers. With very close to the half-millennium
mark now, Lowlands-L still isn’t one of the largest or even larger lists,
but it has endured and has a relatively large core of loyal and devoted
members,
many of them since the early days, some even from the very beginning. Now,
this may not be world peace, but it isn’t anything to sneeze at either, is
it?
And the part about delivering? Well, it took some practice, but things
have been working out so far. By and large, we have remained faithful to our
initial focus and goals. We only had to slightly tweak the rules and guidelines
to accommodate technological advances. We stayed with the same group of languages
and cultures, though several years ago we included Limburgish and Zeelandic/Western
Flemish as discrete entities. We have amassed a vast body of information in
our archives. The one that began in May 1999 is freely accessible online; the
earlier one still awaits online conversion (which is one of several projects
yet to be seen to).
Lowlands-L came
to be hosted by Linguist, the oldest and largest linguistics list—and it shares its resources with related
lists in exchange for information sharing, yet without any other obligations.
They have been most gracious hosts and deserve a word or two of thanks, especially
Anthony Aristar and Michael Appleby for their personal assistance with technical
and procedural matters.
Βοήθα με να σε βοηθώ ν’ ανεβούμε το βουνό.
“Help me so I can help you
so we can climb the mountain.”
Greek proverb
Even though it rarely seemed like work, we have dragged a very large number
of questions, problems, topics and even discoveries across the discussants’
arena into our archival vaults. Among other things, we have disseminated
information about linguistic and cultural varieties that are rarely mentioned
elsewhere,
some of them overshadowed by mainstream languages and cultures, some of them
kicked to the curb as worthless, some of them mere childhood memories, and
some of them mere relics from times long past. We have combined our knowledge
and discoveries to work our way back to earlier stages, even to beginnings.
Together we have been learning about details, about differences and commonalities,
have
encouraged each other to disregard garden fences, political borders and the
boundaries of the mind, and together we have been getting closer to a vantage
point from which to see the bigger picture.
While Lowlands languages and cultures have been our common intellectual
focus we have been reaping the social and emotional rewards awaiting those
that dare to reach out to fellow human beings everywhere. This makes for
tremendous growth opportunities. This is why a casual
yet respectful
and challenging yet supportive and always non-hierarchical atmosphere has
been very important to us. Our members come from many walks of life, from many
countries, have different
cultures,
and their ages range from the early teens to the late eighties. Many of us
realize that the educational disciplines we deal with seem rather intimidating
to many who are interested but fear that they lack the knowledge to follow
and contribute. We have never aspired to being an academic club, nor have
we
ever aimed at the lowest denominator. We have always welcomed anyone who shares
our interests and goals and who is
prepared
to
act according to our rules and guidelines. We are fully aware that by helping
those
with less pertinent formal education we really help everyone, but we expect
them to be serious about learning beyond the level of coffee table chats. Furthermore,
we fully realize that everyone has something to contribute, even if “only”
by asking questions.
Similarly, we have never limited ourselves to being a gathering place
of those with certain linguistic, cultural or ethnic backgrounds. Again, we
welcome anyone, and this has been making for enrichment for everyone. Everyone
is a “Lowlander” on our list, by virtue of merely being interested.
The language group to which we pay attention happens to have as members
the currently most powerful language (namely English) and some of the “smallest”
and most severely moribund languages (for instance the Frisian varieties used
in Germany). This compels us to investigate linguistic and also cultural issues
from different
points of view. In the process, most of us have learned that languages themselves
cannot be blamed for the decline or even disappearance of other languages,
that it is people that allow or even will this to happen, sometimes even the
speakers of declining languages themselves, those that have been brainwashed
into believing that their languages are inferior, those that abandon them
or fail to pass them on to their offspring.
“As knowledge increases, wonder deepens.”
Charles Morgan (1795–1878)
The kind of thing that keeps us Lowlanders interested day after day is
the discovery of great similarities in our family of linguistic and cultural
varieties, similarities often concealed by orthographical and terminological
differences, differences that seem great and alienating only at first glance.
We keep discovering that the continua of our linguistic and cultural heritage
have not yet been totally torn apart by political borders, by national centralization
or even by geographic distance. Such awareness brings us closer together, and
this is very timely given the steadily waning importance of national borders
and dramatic advances in international electronic communication that can be
utilized
on personal levels.
At the same time, we keep discovering how adaptable our linguistic and
cultural heritage has been, how in new locations it has taken on new, even
“exotic” forms and colors yet has been fundamentally true to its roots. Oftentimes
several closely related varieties came together and mixed with indigenous varieties
of faraway lands. In such cases it tends to be difficult to tell which European
varieties participated in the creation of new ones, such as in the cases of
Afrikaans and Appalachian.
“Good, the more communicated, grows.”
John Milton (1608–1674)
All Lowlanders, past and present, are to be thanked for having contributed
to the life of Lowlands-L, especially those that have been active participants and have given much of
their inquisitiveness, knowledge, time and effort. Kudos to those who have
been with us from the beginning or for close to ten years, also to those that
have helped with administrative matters and those that participated in our
special projects, such as “Lowlands Talk” and this 10th anniversary presentation,
also all non–Lowlanders who contributed as guests of honor. Very special thanks
go out to all of the many helpers of this 10th anniversary project, especially
those that went way beyond the call and those that helped without being members
of our group.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant:
brethren dwelling together!”
Torah/Old
Testament, Psalm 133:1
On a personal note, I have made many friends on Lowlands-L, and this alone is
very gratifying. Furthermore—and I do not mean this to be patronizing or condescending—I
have been taking enormous pleasure in watching a good number of members “blossom”
over the years, be it in terms of knowledge, understanding, outlook or skills—linguistic,
investigational and social skills. I remember some of our now “old hands”
and savvy debaters being lost, bewildered and skeptical when they were newcomers.
Directly or indirectly, Lowlands-L has inspired and helped quite a few to
pursue related courses of study, careers and hobbies or to organize related
activities in their more immediate communities. Many members who had not done
so previously have come to realize that all language varieties are worthy
of respect and study, and this realization has led them to take fresh looks
at language varieties their societies had taught them as children to look
down upon. Also where there is little or no relevance to Lowlands-L, I have
watched some of our members “make it out there,” succeed educationally and professionally,
find love, start families, and begin retirement with lots of interesting projects
awaiting them; and, yes, a couple of times I have had to wave final farewells.
Furthermore, I have noticed that I myself have grown and matured in various
ways, not least because of my Lowlands-L activities.
What has been bringing us together are common interests and great eagerness
to share questions and knowledge, eagerness for discovery as a group of individuals
reaching out to each other across various sorts of boundaries. The rewards,
accomplishments and victories are not limited to the intellectual sphere;
they have been variously interpersonal as well. We
have achieved
a lot in ten
years, and
much
of it may become apparent to us sometime in the future. We have grown together, and we have grown together.
To and for all members and friends of the Lowlands-L family over the years I give thanks.