Proposal: Language code "de-DE-trad"

[Torsten Bronger]

On Mittwoch, 13. Februar 2002 21:32 schrieben Sie:
> On Wed, 13 Feb 2002 21:26:35 +0100, Torsten Bronger wrote:
> > > If this is the case, then how did this come to be adopted?  The Ger=
man
> > > speaking nations are all (presumably) democracies, which presumably
> > > also means that their respective governments can't get away with
> > > something like this.
> >
> > Sometimes the government doesn't ask.  And since it wasn't about taxe=
s,
> > there wasn't enough protest to make it undone.
> > <suppressanger>presumably...</suppressanger>
>
> Don't be angry.  Governments, and their unilateral actions, are the ene=
my.
> Not people.

Sorry.  I just forgot the winkeye.  ;-)

> [...]
>
> The point being that governments can't get away with doing something li=
ke
> this in a democracy unless the people let them.  I think that it's quit=
e
> important to this discussion to understand if this new orthography is g=
oing
> to succeed, or if the people of the affected nations are going to rende=
r it
> into an impotent joke (much like the metrification of the US).

I'd lie if I said I that could forsee that.  Most well-educated (and ther=
efore
interested) people don't accept it.  But the majority of publishers
has switched to the new form.  Authorities, of course, completely.  And
it is the only variant being taught at schools.  So, I think in the long =
term
it will probably and (unfortunately) succeed.

> If the new orthography turns out to be a joke, then the chosen names of=
 the
> language codes should reflect that.  No matter what we, or any governme=
nts,
> may have to say about it, the people will use the most convenient name =
for
> their way of expressing German.  And what is the "most convenient name"=
 may
> not necessarily be obvious.
>
> > > And if this is the case, what is the likelihood that the government
> > > after the next elections will toss it out?
> >
> > None.  It's difficult to explain, but such things go a very long way.
>
> I understand the reluctant to tackle reform again in the wake of a fail=
ure;
> but what barrier would there be to the next government in some number o=
f
> the (three?) affected countries saying "it was a mistake, we're tossing=
 it
> out and retaining the old status quo"?  In other words, bowing to what =
the
> people have already decided?

The "states" of the USA are called "lands" in Germany.  We have 16 of the=
m.
Everyone has full control of cultural issues, the federal government has
simply no control.  Then Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Lichtenstein, Luxem=
burg
and Belgium -- all with German speaking population and -- as far as I=20
understand the statement on the Duden webpage -- involved in the last ref=
orm.

Therefore the whole system is very awkward and slow.  This last reform ha=
d
a forerun of 16 years.


Bye,
Torsten.