Your Prettiest Freesite Creation Find: Round Two (Apparently)

[SnarkyShark]

*raises hand* This seems like a good time to mention some pointless trivia. So, when the United States took a vote on our 'official' language, English won out by one vote. We were ::this:: close to speaking German. Or at least that's what they told me in all those damn history classes that never made it even as far as the Civil War. Personally, I'd rather speak Spanish (I can haz EZ verb conjugation), but, yeah...

I was under the impression that the United States has no official language, so I'm curious about this vote. Was it a colonial thing?

[ferncapel]

Wow. I wasn't expecting to offend you so much. I apologize. I threw in the ESL bit because if you were, I didn't want you to think I was being mean. I'm sorry that it may have come across as offensive. And dude is gender neutral out here, too. It's just slang, like "mate" out there. So, sorry for any misunderstanding.

Now that my apologies are done, I hope you don't fall off your "The English here is sooo much more superior" high horse and hurt yourself. That had nothing to do with what I was saying.

I already said that even i admitted that what i said had little to do with what you said. Dont know why i went of on one...brain glitch i think
Misunderstanding over with on my behalf...believe me, the English here is not always superior, sometimes i struggle to understand some people because of the slang in our language and the way its being degraded. It's ok , i just hurt my self a little falling of that damned horse. I should never have got on it in the first place!

Anyerfillag

No saying i am British therefore i am English does not equate British as English. English is England's native language, we all in Britain have our native languages even if they are no longer our first language.  Scotland, Wales and Ireland are English speaking but its not your native language. To be honest, don't balme the British for beating your native language out off you. You could revive your own language if you wanted to...thats your choice!
I never actaully stated a country, i thougt this forum was quite mixed.
If you think im snobbish and offensive, fair play, your opinion. Im unaffected by it.
Also as a nation i can honestly say that ive never noticed that we spell things differently. Say things differently only because of the tones of our accents, but not spelll. Ive never come across words spelt differently anywhere in the country, only words spelt incorrectly. I'd like a few examples of that how different regions here in the U.K spell words differently. Come on...educate me!

Anyone else, non U.K residents,  accept you spell differently due to the language being adapted, thats fine, not an issue. This is to Anyerfillag only.

Also to Soggyfox,

"Also - There were plenty of -native- languages in the Americas before the bloody Europeans came over and pushed aside the natives.  Don't get me started, but the notion that the Natives were ignorant savages pisses me off, and that rage is a bit high still, after having fresh reminders of what -exactly- the Europeans and their descendants did, having gone to Cherokee this past weekend.  It was the exact same bloody attitude Julius Caesar had towards the Celts.  Not to mention that a good chunk of the settlers here were -not- British.  Its just the founding fathers were.

If I sound bitchy, then oh well - but I really get pissed at the attitude that either noone lived here before the Europeans sailed over, or they just aren't worth mentioning?"

Whom was this intended to?
Because i never said all settlers were British, i said the English ones wouldve taught you the English language as did the European settlers teach you theirs. Also i am well aware that America had its own native languages and people before we Europeans and whom ever else came over and did what we did. I actually have always had the opinion that what the Europeans did to native Americans was atrocious and though we saw the Indian tribes as savages, it was in fact us that were the savages. I don't believe we had any right to do what we did. I certainly dont have the atitude that no-one lived there before the Europeans went over.
Im not having a go, just unclear as to whom that part of your post was aimed at and wanted to clarify my position just in case it was me! 

[Darqstar]

No saying i am British therefore i am English does not equate British as English. English is England's native language, we all in Britain have our native languages even if they are no longer our first language.  Scotland, Wales and Ireland are English speaking but its not your native language. To be honest, don't balme the British for beating your native language out off you. You could revive your own language if you wanted to...thats your choice!

Okay, I've taken no sides in this, because honestly, Ellipsis don't bother me.  I see them merely as pauses, but I can't judge what others think, so I just stayed out of it.

But honestly, Ferncapel, what you wrote above is about the coldest thing I've seen someone say in awhile.  The Irish and the Scottish weren't just convinced to give up their language, they could be killed for using it.  It took brave people to make it so those languages didn't die.  The same with many Native American dialects.  Some are completely gone, but others were saved by people willing to risk their lives to keep speaking it, and to teach it to others. 

It's not a simple matter to say, "Hey, you know what?  Fuck it, we're going to speak Gaelic and you'll have to deal."  First of all, there aren't a lot of people who can speak it.  Also, because of the status as an almost dead language, to revive it as the national language will likely put up a barrier between themselves and the rest of the world, which no one can really afford to do these days.

When you take away someone's language, it's not just the language, it's taking away a part of them.  How would you feel if someone came to you and said, "Nope, you're not allowed to speak English.  If you do, we'll kill you.  Oh and your religion?  WRONG, you can only worship our God, the one true God.  And while we're at it, that Internet you go on?  No more.  We don't believe in the internet. And let's take away any other hobbies you might enjoy, they aren't what we consider to be appropriate hobbies.  And your land?  It's not yours anymore either, it's ours.  You can't have land until you worship our God and become just like us."  How would you feel if they destroyed your culture?  Forbid you from telling any stories of your family and your people?  Forbid you to read books written by writers of your nationality? Forbid you to sing the songs of your people?

I'm not saying we should beat up the British (Or, every white American for that matter)  what's done is done.  However, to just casually brush it off like it was no big deal, just doesn't sit right with me.  And the way you said they could revive their language, forgive me if I misunderstood, but that came across to me like you were almost accusing them of being lazy about it.  "It's your own fault you're not speaking your native language!" when that is so not the case.

 

[vindi]

Does anyone mind if I re-rail this before we go into a deep conversation about the homogenization and deaths of languages and cultures?

You can haz some dirty pretties from guatla on MTS2, her Broken Bathroom set!

http://modthesims2.com/download.php?t=326755

Her other stuff is pretty cool, but I don't really have a use for it... except the broken windows.

[dusdeedawn]

I was under the impression that the United States has no official language, so I'm curious about this vote. Was it a colonial thing?

I have no freaking clue. I just remember my history teacher telling me about it. But, with public school being what it is, I can't even say whether or not she was legally sane.

[rum nate]

That is actually an urban myth in both the US and Germany. This is from Wikipedia:

The Muhlenberg legend is a popular urban legend in the United States and Germany. According to the legend, Frederick Muhlenberg kept German from becoming an official language of the United States. At the heart of this legend is a vote in the United States House of Representatives in 1794, in which a group of German immigrants asked for the translation of some laws into German. This petition was rejected by a 42-41 vote and Muhlenberg was later quoted as having said "the faster the Germans become Americans, the better it will be." The United States has no statutory official language; English has been used as on a de facto basis, owing to its status as the country's predominant language. At times various states have passed their own official language laws.

[Eskimo Pie]

When you take away someone's language, it's not just the language, it's taking away a part of them.  How would you feel if someone came to you and said, "Nope, you're not allowed to speak English.  If you do, we'll kill you.  Oh and your religion?  WRONG, you can only worship our God, the one true God.  And while we're at it, that Internet you go on?  No more.  We don't believe in the internet. And let's take away any other hobbies you might enjoy, they aren't what we consider to be appropriate hobbies.  And your land?  It's not yours anymore either, it's ours.  You can't have land until you worship our God and become just like us."  How would you feel if they destroyed your culture?  Forbid you from telling any stories of your family and your people?  Forbid you to read books written by writers of your nationality? Forbid you to sing the songs of your people?

I'm not saying we should beat up the British (Or, every white American for that matter)  what's done is done.  However, to just casually brush it off like it was no big deal, just doesn't sit right with me.  And the way you said they could revive their language, forgive me if I misunderstood, but that came across to me like you were almost accusing them of being lazy about it.  "It's your own fault you're not speaking your native language!" when that is so not the case.

 

 People like to think that it happened a million years ago, but the last residential school in Canada only closed down in the 1980's. I think 1984 to be exact. My father had sisters taken away never to be seen or heard from again. When I went to high school it was a church school who made us speak french only and made fun of our faith and culture. And even tho I am Canadian, I get told by strangers here in nova scotia to speak English or get out of "their" country. Just on Sunday I was on the bus speaking my native to my young son and I was told by 2 old men that I should go back to my country and that "foreigners" like me take all the jobs. Idiots had no clue.
 I do not hate all white people, I hate the government for covering up history and not educating people. anyways that is enough heavy thinking for me today lol

[ferncapel]

No saying i am British therefore i am English does not equate British as English. English is England's native language, we all in Britain have our native languages even if they are no longer our first language.  Scotland, Wales and Ireland are English speaking but its not your native language. To be honest, don't balme the British for beating your native language out off you. You could revive your own language if you wanted to...thats your choice!

Okay, I've taken no sides in this, because honestly, Ellipsis don't bother me.  I see them merely as pauses, but I can't judge what others think, so I just stayed out of it.

But honestly, Ferncapel, what you wrote above is about the coldest thing I've seen someone say in awhile.  The Irish and the Scottish weren't just convinced to give up their language, they could be killed for using it.  It took brave people to make it so those languages didn't die.  The same with many Native American dialects.  Some are completely gone, but others were saved by people willing to risk their lives to keep speaking it, and to teach it to others. 

It's not a simple matter to say, "Hey, you know what?  Fuck it, we're going to speak Gaelic and you'll have to deal."  First of all, there aren't a lot of people who can speak it.  Also, because of the status as an almost dead language, to revive it as the national language will likely put up a barrier between themselves and the rest of the world, which no one can really afford to do these days.

When you take away someone's language, it's not just the language, it's taking away a part of them.  How would you feel if someone came to you and said, "Nope, you're not allowed to speak English.  If you do, we'll kill you.  Oh and your religion?  WRONG, you can only worship our God, the one true God.  And while we're at it, that Internet you go on?  No more.  We don't believe in the internet. And let's take away any other hobbies you might enjoy, they aren't what we consider to be appropriate hobbies.  And your land?  It's not yours anymore either, it's ours.  You can't have land until you worship our God and become just like us."  How would you feel if they destroyed your culture?  Forbid you from telling any stories of your family and your people?  Forbid you to read books written by writers of your nationality? Forbid you to sing the songs of your people?

I'm not saying we should beat up the British (Or, every white American for that matter)  what's done is done.  However, to just casually brush it off like it was no big deal, just doesn't sit right with me.  And the way you said they could revive their language, forgive me if I misunderstood, but that came across to me like you were almost accusing them of being lazy about it.  "It's your own fault you're not speaking your native language!" when that is so not the case.

 

I never said that what we did as English people was correct, it was certainly wrong, as is any conflict where one forces another to conform to what they believe. It was our fault originally,but don't keep wallowing in history, in fact because of whta happened in history it should give them morre incentive to revive it, after all they have their own government now and have broke away rom the English a little. They shoud petition their government to teach it in schools as part of their history and culture.The Cornish people are working hard and steadily at reving their language, their version of the Celtic language and more and more people are learning it. So if someone, say from Scotland, felt that strongly about losing their language...then do something about it. Even if just for themselves. I certainly was not accusing them of being lazy. Reviving a language is a long slow and hard process, but it can be done, even if not by the majority, then by a minority. But you can not forever blame the past and what happened, you have to look forward and make changes and if language is one of them, then good.
To be honest, our culture in England is slowly being destroyed because of the government and what it allows and when we can't even fly our own flag without offending people, we are already being told we can't do things regarding our own nationality. So i do understand what you are saying. Some things you have little control over, but some things you can have control over.

[Pescado]

*raises hand* This seems like a good time to mention some pointless trivia. So, when the United States took a vote on our 'official' language, English won out by one vote. We were ::this:: close to speaking German. Or at least that's what they told me in all those damn history classes that never made it even as far as the Civil War. Personally, I'd rather speak Spanish (I can haz EZ verb conjugation), but, yeah...

I was under the impression that the United States has no official language, so I'm curious about this vote. Was it a colonial thing?

Actually, it is simply a not-trueity.

[SnarkyShark]

Hmmm, it's just as I suspected. Poor dusdeedawn was being taught history by a pathological liar. Dusdee, it's obvious that you'll need a crash course in American history to help undo some of the damage.

-George Washington was actually married to Martha. They were not shacking up.
-Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton not George Hamilton.
-Ben Franklin didn't write Little Richard's Almanac.
-Tar and feathers was not a fashion trend.

(thanks for the link to the bathroom, vindi)

[dusdeedawn]

Of course it figures that the one bit of history I hold onto is the wrong bit.

[Skoria_Bay]

The Irish have preserved their version of Gaelic. One of my favorite musical groups is Irish and has recorded traditional folk songs and written new songs in Irish Gaelic. Clannad, the band, is fluent in their native language. Enya (who is the lead singer's younger sister) sang with the group before she went solo. And by the way, I am an American (of German, English, Irish and Scots decent).

Anyway, cool bathroom. I am not sure what I'll use it for now, but I will use it at some point.

[SoggyFox]

Actually, Ferncapel, you said there was no language here until the british got here.  It might not have been what you meant, but its what your said.

And I spent the weekend up in Cherokee North Carolina.  The signs and everything are dual lingual - english and cherokee.  Pretty looking language.  And since the town -is- the reservation, alot of the businesses were run by Cherokee too.  I tried to avoid the touristy shops and hit only the ones selling actual native crafted stuff - it was not at all easy, but I got some really nice things - a white fox dreamcatcher made from wood, sinew fur and feathers, and a doeskin [I'm pretty sure anyway] bag in white with a turquoise button.  I got one of them with my winnings from the casino, since I was determined to leave the money -there-.

Seriously though, while other languages are spoken here, English is the official language of the US - it might change, but it is now.

And as I understood it, Wales was forced to abandon their language [legally anyway] by the Welsh....unless my reading is off, the Tudors were welsh nobles before ruling england - and when they took the throne, they took away Welsh as a language [ not that they succeeded ]

[Realmscat]

"Grumbles softly." I seem to have lost my orginal reply. Though it may show up eventually, I basicly said, mankind itself has a history of doing all these things your discussing to itself. It is the nature of man to take what it desires, and destroy that which it does not understand. Throughout history mankind has destroyed culture after culture, language after language. Even today our children pervert the language to their desires, and their children will to. Laying blame on one specific group really is pointless, all you have to do is read "all" past accounts of conquest. This people did this, that people did that, and so on, and so on. Mankind takes what it wants, destroys what it does not.

[Paden]

Then does this mean we're gonna win against the pay site assholes and EA Games?

Anyways, back on topic, Shady has another set of the awesome eyes. She does some of the best and I think I have all of them. Hair and eyes are really a weakness for me.