I hope somebody can help me with something I,ve wondered about for a long time. I,m referring to  a national academy which dedicates itself to keeping the national language of it,s native country pure. For example, France has the Academie Francaise, Spain the Real Academia Espanola and, I think, some exist in the Latin American countries. Can anyone tell me if a similar academy exists in the United Kingdom, United States or Canada? Many thanks in advance. Grogie

Hi,

<<<Can anyone tell me if a similar academy exists in the United Kingdom, United States or Canada?<<<

None of these countries have a language academy. And be happy about it !!!

(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_language_academies for a (probably non-exhaustive list). On the other hand, the Dutch-Flemish ‘Taalunie’ cannot be compared with the Academie Française.)

<<<I,m referring to  a national academy which dedicates itself to keeping the national language of it,s native country pure.<<<

Exactly this already indicates that a language academy à la française (which consists of living mummies and other relics from ancient times) is a waste of time and money . The notion "pure language" makes a much sence as a square circle.

One afternoon of watching the French TV channels will tell you why (un building, j’étais carjacké, and tens of other examples).

All the best,

Frank

Frank. Many thanks for the information. Grogie

I think, when I asked that question, I may have been thinking about lexicographers or any other authority that decides which new words are approved for entry into a language. My mistake. You,re definitely right about language purity. Each of the world,s languages lost it,s purity long ago. Grogie

As long as they used protection, I don’t see any problem.

Brazilian dude

<<<Each of the world,s languages lost it,s purity long ago.<<<

Out of curiosity, how did those "pure languages" look like? Or how does a "pure language" sound?

Regards,

Frank

Me Tarzan, You Jane.

But seriously, the supposed purity is not so much of concern as the question who takes control over the language.  

"Who takes control over the language"...?

Whose language is it, anyway?

-Tim

Flam

But seriously, the supposed purity is not so much of concern as the question who takes control over the language.

That is: bad, imperialist English or le bon, vieux français o el castellano más impoluto.

Frank

One afternoon of watching the French TV channels will tell you why Smiley (un building, j’étais carjacké, and tens of other examples).

However, it will certainly also produce some many other good examples of original translations such as "télécharger".

Now, a lack of Academies doesn’t guarantee more freedom of speech, you know…

      WS.

[quote author=WonderingSpaniard link=board=omni;num=1116581501;start=0#9 date=05/23/05 at 10:46:34]Flam [etc]

That is: bad, imperialist English or le bon, vieux français o el castellano más impoluto.

And of course three banzais to the divine language of Creation, Japanese.

Okay, I am grieving, bemoarning, spiteful, lugubrious etc. over the spilt milk.  But I shall not play innocent.  Change is not a new thing.

Politics aside, I feel some frustration at my favourite Israeli radio in Tel Aviv these days since it is devoting more and more airing time on English pop songs I could hear on every corner of Japanese streets.  Boys and girls, what is the problem?

Hi all,

<<< Change is not a new thing.<<<

This must be the understatement of the last few billion years ;-).
<<<Politics aside, I feel some frustration at my favourite Israeli radio in Tel Aviv these days since it is devoting more and more airing time on English pop songs I could hear on every corner of Japanese streets.<<<

Politics and economics go hand in hand, but one specific part of the economical game which IMHO is (also) crucial in this is the excellent and overwhelmingly interesting market of ESL books.

<<<Boys and girls, what is the problem?<<<

I’ll ignore the tongue in cheek humor here, and take this question very (too?) literal. My apologies already and please forgive me.
Actually, i don’t see a problem and frankly, i don’t think there IS a problem. The only real problem is that we can hear Kylie Minogue c.s. almost everywhere, but probably that’s a matter of taste.
Due to whatever reasons, English is popular/necessary, and then it is normal that it percolates its way through a lot of other languages.

In the case of Dutch, the foreign influences enrich the language, again imho. One simple example: we’ve got Du. ‘winkel’, Fr. ‘boutique’ (now with a very specific meaning), and E. ‘shop’ (een flashy en hippe winkel).

Every comparison is a bad one, but look at Sumerian in the Very Ancient Middle East, Latin, French (e.g. in English!, in Lingala), Chinese in the Far East (v.à.v. Korean, Japanese, ...),  Arabic in the Middle East and North Africa, Persian in India, Sanskrit in South East Asia, ...
IMHO, it’s also a matter of double standards: in any of the above historical cases we’re talking about "an interesting development", when it happens to us, it’s "endangering the local language".
Mais c’est la vie, it’s normal, it’s the way it is :-). And apart from a handful of people spending too much energy in complaining about it*: who _really_ cares?

All the best,

Frank

* Just have a look at this: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Den/7522/ANV.html
I once corresponded with the guys, and it turned out NOT to be a joke. Sad.

Frank and I agree that we are quibbling over a matter of taste.  But this is precisely the reason I cannot desist.  The history of the languages too elusive to grasp with survival of the fittest and the virtues of laissez-faire policies.  I notice languages can be calculated by how much they worth in numismatic value but such an estimate is only a tiny reason that accounts for my taste.  I may oppose to  changes that are the necessary outcomes of the time and endorse changes that are laughably tasteless but I give slightly higher priority to my aesthetics than to my politics.

Flam