German in 3 countries
>> The usual dialog in those homes would be for the parents to speak in German and the kids to reply in English.. <<
But they could speak it if they wanted to. This is a very common phenomenon. The kids are embarassed about speaking a foreign language, and will absolutely refuse to speak it to the point that some parents believe that they incapable of speaking it. However, if they go to Germany, it is revealed that they can speak it perfectly.
I think similar situation is in Alsace.Everybody understand German,but only someone speaks it.
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no, sorry, I live in Alsace and I can tell you many people don't understand german and alsatian. It's just a cliché from some american.
Are you joking? Maybe you live in Strasbourg, but I certainly heard Alsatian when I was there in the Haut-Rhin area. I was in the Bas-Rhin area too and got the impression that people spoke or understood some German (ic), but I only spoke in French in the Bas-Rhin area.
Do you come from an Alsatian French family?
guillaume Fri Jun 26, 2009 3:06 pm GMT
no, sorry, I live in Alsace and I can tell you many people don't understand german and alsatian. It's just a cliché from some american.
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You seem to be proud of the fact that many young Alsatians do not speak the language of their ancestors anymore - why?
<<You seem to be proud of the fact that many young Alsatians do not speak the language of their ancestors anymore why? >>
Because nobody really care in fact about Alsatian language , except some old people and teacher. Younger prefer learn german, english or spanish.
<<Do you come from an Alsatian French family?>>
I'm french but my mother is french with spanish origin and my father have both french and senegalese nationality, he's born in Sénégal. And no, I don't live in Strasbourg , I live in Mulhouse. Are you satisfied ?
"Younger prefer learn german, english or spanish." -guillaume
While I agree that they want to learn other languages, this seems to partially contradict what you wrote earlier about German.
"no, sorry, I live in Alsace and I can tell you many people don't understand german and alsatian. It's just a cliché from some american." -guillaume
What do you think about the idea that some people assume that your heritage is not Alsatian-speaking, so they don't address you in Alsatian?
I know that people do not expect me to speak Japanese based on my looks.
I was in at a museum in the Haut-Rhin Region, and almost everyone around me who was an adult was speaking some sort of German. I suppose it could be Swiss visitors, but I don't think so. I tried to listen discreetly to see how much I could understand.
On the other hand, when people are speaking Alsatian in a shop and a local restaurant (I know very well to go to hear it.), I don't think they are Swiss or German visitors.
Of course, your experience is your experience
<<no, sorry, I live in Alsace and I can tell you many people don't understand german and alsatian. It's just a cliché from some american.>>
Your opinion maybe is a french cliché.
Most of people of Alsace and Lorraine are of German origin.German tv and other media has big influence on this region TOO.People,who don't understand German,maybe are newcomers to Alsace.
<<What do you think about the idea that some people assume that your heritage is not Alsatian-speaking, so they don't address you in Alsatian? >>
People know I'm french , even if my skin is darker.
I have many french friends with "alsatian origin" like you say, and they don't speak alsatian, they don't understand it either. Their grand parents certainly, but not them. And I don't think they lie to me, why would they lie? Because I don't look french ? (it's what you suppose)
<<Younger prefer learn german, english or spanish." -guillaume
While I agree that they want to learn other languages, this seems to partially contradict what you wrote earlier about German. >>
No, it's not a contradiction, french people learn foreign languages in school, in Alsace English and German are pretty popular because usefull, but now a lot of younger prefer to chose spanish instead of german.
What I wrote it's people who live in Alsace don't understand german, because "the german lessons" taught in school are not enough to speak german fluently or to understand a german-born speaker. And like everyone in France, "alsaciens" stop to learn foreign language after the baccalauréat. So, many lost "their german"even if they remember some words.
But of course, there are people who still learn german and english and so are able to speak fluently those languages, and I know a german family who live in my area and speak fluently french. But this isn't the most common.
voilà.
dear barrierre
you're not alsatian, so you can't tell. Please, don't "write" like that and try to think a little. I know my region better than you.
(I never heard about a "french cliché" made by french about France, this is new.)
<<Most of people of Alsace and Lorraine are of German origin.German tv and other media has big influence on this region TOO>>
I watch my TV, I see french film and american series. And all the Alsace and Lorraine people are french and nobody care about where their ancestor come from , you can't say that their origin are german because it's forbidden to make "statistic" like this in France. So we don't know. You just imagine this with what you read about France in 1944. But things change with time. We're not in 1944 anymore. Many things have changed in Alsace, many immigration from all the France and from Spain, Italy, Poland, Maghreb, Africa, and many marriages between all those people. So german origin or not, many people don't care anymore. Except you.
"Because I don't look french ? (it's what you suppose)"
Not at all. I used to live in France, and despite what some people claim, I don't think there is one "French" look and I don't think that being mixed makes one less French.
However, Alsatian is a heritage language, a smaller language, unlike the big international language, French.
Speaking Alsatian for someone who did not grow up speaking it isn't going to be easy as there aren't a lot of Alsatian courses out there afaik.
Since I see it (and I am not a linguist) as a heritage language and an in-group language, maybe the demand is not great. Also, I think it would be considered rude to speak it in front of you if you don't know it and everyone around you is also able to speak French. Just my opinion.
In Texas, some people speak it. In some place with Castro in the name,
I think. Alsacians came to Texas and Alsace sent them a building awhile ago. I am not making this up.
Your English is pretty good, btw.
<<In Texas, some people speak it. In some place with Castro in the name,
I think. Alsacians came to Texas and Alsace sent them a building awhile ago. I am not making this up. >>
yeah, I heard about "Castroville ", and "Lacoste" too, no ? I don't know if they still speak Alsatian over there, it will be great. I just know there is an association in Alsace called: "Alsace Médina County Texas", and they have some relations with castroville, but I don't know more.
<<Your English is pretty good, btw. >>
:D , ah ?...
Thanks, I try to work hard, but I know I still make a lot of mistakes.
Unfortunely my accent is disastrous, even in german.
salut.
<<Many things have changed in Alsace, many immigration from all the France and from Spain, Italy, Poland, Maghreb, Africa, and many marriages between all those people. >>
That makes me puke.
<<That makes me puke>>
Alors tu ne dois pas être alsacien.
Why names of the cities and villages,names of the streets in Alsace nad Lorraine can't be called in two languages-French and German? For example, Italian and German have the status of co-official languages in the province of Bolzano-Bozen,Italy,where most of inhabitants are of German ( or Austrian) origin.Names of the streets,cities and villages are writing in Italian and German there.