What price culture?........

[Jasandjules]

Difficult to say what "culture" we have in the UK, other than being welcoming in the main to everyone.

[dirk01]

I think JAYB has a point

xjsdriver said:

I began to wonder what most on think about what we spend as a country on own our cultural values, for example keeping our native languages alive and in use (Doric, Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish).

None of thus are my culture.

I can see humanitarian (and indeed selfish) reasons for my taxes to help people in less developed countries to survive and prosper

I can see cultural (and selfish) reasons for my taxes to fund various forms of art, music and other cultural aspects.

I can see no reason why my taxes should go to support a language of another "people", when the only reason that language needs my taxes is because almost none of its own countrymen can be bothered to learn or speak it

[Rollin]

I'm sure the OP is demonstrating his cultural enlightenment by learning to speak the language.

[hairyben]

Dracoro said:

I'll bite Another way of putting it (not necessarily my view...):

Part of our culture is music, so should the state pay for me to have piano lessons?
Part of our culture is walking, so should the state pay for my hiking boots?
Part of our culture is cricket, so should get state pay for my cricket bat/lessons?
I could go on....
Why should languages get the privilege of state funding to support its existence?

If these "enlightened" people want to really keep these languages alive they need to encourage others to speak/learn the lingo, pass it on to their childres/family/friends etc.

Basically if it's that valuable a part of your culture, it will stay alive, with or without the state paying out for it.

everybodies idea of worthy culture/art is the bit they like isn't it.

I love alternative music, little bit of most things (metal, punk, industrial, etc) but it's constant fight for survival and labour of love for anyone not big- just making ends meet, we don't ask for much- perhaps a more critical planning look with an eye on "amenities" at the often historic venues we love and need being threatened with closure, often so developers can make more souless dwelling units but local authorities- so keen to jump in and thrown wheelbarrows of public cash about at anything with PC-approved cultural concerns - blissfully ignore.

so most of the claims I see people make of their particular culture/art cause being "discriminated" against because someones not conveyerbelting moneys at it does draw a eye roll.

[Derek Smith]

Moonhawk said:

Language is a communication tool.

Whilst there may be academic interest in maintaining a language - I don't think they should be maintained as a living useable language just for the sake of "culture".

It's just one more thing that can be used for nationalistic division - and we need less of that in this day and age - not more.

I think that just about sums up my view, but that won't stop me saying something more.

The Welsh language was used as a tool by the WNP. Divisive is the word.

[Pesty]

Morningside said:

But couldn't you say the same about dying dialects? The Suffolk of today is totally different to 50 or even 20 years ago.

I suppose.

[Morningside]

Pesty said:

Morningside said:

But couldn't you say the same about dying dialects? The Suffolk of today is totally different to 50 or even 20 years ago.

I suppose.

Not far short round these parts.

[technodup]

Dracoro said:

Basically if it's that valuable a part of your culture, it will stay alive, with or without the state paying out for it.

Couldn't agree more. Languages mutate, migrate, evolve and die because people do. Why should the state be involved?

Do we not overspend enough already before we throw money at maintaining languages which by definition almost nobody uses or wants to use, in the name of 'culture'?

[otolith]

Languages evolve, split, merge, cross-pollinate, go extinct. Trying to artificially ressurrect or sustain them when they have outlived their usefulness is too often an act of nationalist vanity. Better to spend the money on recording and documenting it for academic purposes and let nature take its course.

[xjsdriver]

Rollin said:

I'm sure the OP is demonstrating his cultural enlightenment by learning to speak the language.

Tha, beagan......

That said, it's nowhere near as good as my Dutch, German, Portuguese, or French (OK my French is now a little ropey too)

Edité par xjsdriver 01:20

Herausgegeben von xjsdriver 01:33

Bewerkt door xjsdriver 01:35

Editado por xjsdriver 01:36

Edited by xjsdriver on Wednesday 1st July 01:37

[xjsdriver]

Dracoro said:

I'll bite Another way of putting it (not necessarily my view...):

Part of our culture is music, so should the state pay for me to have piano lessons?

The state and other agencies do indeed pay for musical scholarships and development of musical talent.

Dracoro said:

Part of our culture is walking, so should the state pay for my hiking boots?

Sport England provide funding for the British Mountaineering Council, who in turn fund expeditions.

Dracoro said:

Part of our culture is cricket, so should get state pay for my cricket bat/lessons?

Sport England provide funding for the ECB and can provide funding support to cricket clubs for a wide range of projects.

Dracoro said:

I could go on....
Why should languages get the privilege of state funding to support its existence?

In short, languages aren't more privileged than the examples you've demonstrated, nor should they be. All of our cultural heritage, whatever it's discipline, should be funded in my opinion.

[Dracoro]

I don't think you really understood my post.

[Pints]

xjsdriver said:

That said, I have Dutch and South African friends who tell me that Afrikaans is like Dutch of 300 years ago.

The words in Afrikaans of Dutch origin (also heavily influenced by Malay and German) was the language spoken on the ships in the voyage from The Netherlands to the Cape. For example, the Afrikaans word for "kitchen" is the Dutch word for a ship's galley.

[AJS-]

"Investing in culture" is a rather loaded term.

Seems worth pointing out that most of the things which government "invests" in and promotes end up getting destroyed (railways, education etc) while most of the things they try to stamp out flourish, like drugs.

Culture is what we do and how we do it, and I don't see any merit at all in attempting to nationalise this.

[williamp]

Dracoro said:

I don't think you really understood my post.

Different cultures, you see....

[eccles]

McTory said:

Can you read english?


Well you don't need a road sign in welsh

Why should you have a road sign in a foreign language in your own country and not in your native tongue?

[The Don of Croy]

I'd support investment in regional accents.

35 years ago a day out in Uckfield (deepest, darkest Sussex) would be like visiting a pirate ship - so many of the then older generation spoke with a rich burr you simply do not hear today. Likewise the demise of cockney and rise of estuary or south central LA street patois is gradually removing another strand of 'our culture'.

Does it matter?

Good that the Royal Opera House receives £50 million + from the public purse every year. Nice cafe too.

[technodup]

The Don of Croy said:

Likewise the demise of cockney and rise of estuary or south central LA street patois is gradually removing another strand of 'our culture'.

Innit blud.

[otolith]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

The musical education my wife received at a state school was excellent. Mine was derisory. Whether that is because she is seven years younger than I am, or because she went to school in Scotland, or just because her school happened to have a functional music department when mine didn't, I don't know. My sister's children are being offered better musical opportunities at school than I ever was.

[The Don of Croy]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Sorry - I must have missed the memo. Do you have a copy?