Kavi Ugl Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I despair, I really do........ http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2014/11/17/chinese-lessons-to-start-next-year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Well there is a chance that Chinese will become the main world language at some time in the not too far distant future. And as it is costing the SIC nowt then why not?. tirvaluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted November 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I just wish more emphasis was put on learning wir bairns about their own(Shetland) history, culture and "language" first before starting on a country 5000 miles away. As it is, we have bairns who don't even say the word "skorie" but use "seagull"!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Well since we live in a big wide world I would hope that bairns learn to say "skorie" at home and "seagull" when talking to the big wide world. But I do agree that learning their own local history, culture and language is also important. And on a point of interest is "bairns" the correct Shetland word for bairns. I always thought is was more Scottish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Look on the bright side.... At least they will be able to order a takeaway....<G> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I can swear in Cantonese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted November 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 (edited) Look on the bright side.... At least they will be able to order a takeaway....<G>Ahaha!, dey might think dey're ordered sweet & sour but come away wi chui choi shreded cheese Edited November 17, 2014 by Kavi Ugl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I'll resist the temptation to repeat one of Phil the Greek's "jokes"..... I wouldn't imagine this will be a best seller, but if some other mug and not us is paying for it.....Agreed though, if funding is being found for anything right now, its a pity its not to the benefit of the majority, rather than probably less than 1%. jeanetteleask 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I'll resist the temptation to repeat one of Phil the Greek's "jokes"..... I wouldn't imagine this will be a best seller, but if some other mug and not us is paying for it.....Agreed though, if funding is being found for anything right now, its a pity its not to the benefit of the majority, rather than probably less than 1%. If I read the article correctly, funding is only being found for 2 years. Just how much "schoollboy" (or girl) Chinese do you think you could learn in that time? and, what happens afterwards?Sure as hell wouldn't have time for the works of Mao... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kafka Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 As it is, we have bairns who don't even say the word "skorie" but use "seagull"!.I'm glad they are not randomly calling seagulls 'skories' - that is a Toonie habit surely. A seagull is a maa, only a young speckled one is a skorie. It has become a pejorative term for the hapless birds so perhaps that's why the young folk are choosing not to use it. tirvaluk and Gaepshot 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) I understand what you're saying viz maa/skorie and I wouldn't disagree but my basic point is that even "basic" Shetland words are dying out. Considering the age group I've heard it from(Primary), it's certainly not that they're choosing not to use it. It's a sign of the anglified education system and environment we seem to live in. The fact is, the whole issue of what languages are taught in Shetland's schools should be over-hauled asap(French??). As things stand we have more economic links with Norway(salmon industry and oil/gas industry) than with the likes of France. Scrap the old pointless languages of French and Latin and replace it with Norwegian. Edited November 18, 2014 by Kavi Ugl Frances144 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whalsa Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I don't know Kavi, working up at the Shetland Gas Plant under Total I am starting to wish I learned more French when I was at school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohanofNess Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Scrap the old pointless languages of French and Latin and replace it with Norwegian. French speakers in the world over 70 millionNorwegian speakers 5 million (and most of the Norwegians I met there can speak English) Which one is pointless?. Rather my bairn could speak to as many of the worlds inhabitants as possible and with learning French they'd know two of the most used languages in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) You clearly don't want to see my point or the relevance or validity of it. Suffice to say, it has nothing to do with the numbers of how many people speak French or Norwegian. Edited November 19, 2014 by Kavi Ugl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohanofNess Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Oh dry your eyes I see your point, the problem with your point is that it's insular and the world is big wide place hence the highlighting of how many people speak French and how few speak Norwegian. Now I'm not saying we can't have Norwegian taught in schools but it shouldn't be at the expense of much more widely spoken languages. I also agree teaching mandarin is a waste of time in the context of current educational needs, dare I say it teaching Norwegian would make more sense than teaching Mandarin but you shouldn't ditch French or German to only teach Norwegian that doesn't make sense. Scorrie and brian.smith 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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