[PASSED] Protecting Minority Languages

[Sarakart]

Sure, we'll approve this one. Seems like a worthwhile initiative.

[Stoskavanya]

Correct.

OOC: I question the need to protect official languages, which by their nature are highly promoted by their use in official and legal settings.

They probably don't, but since they aren't targeted anyway it doesn't matter.

I'm sorry but I don't know what you are asking. The definition of a dead language is literally "one that is no longer the native language of any community" and therefore cannot be a living native language.

OOC: Let me explain by giving you an example. Would Latin constitute a living language? Because the very definition of "dead language" picks out Latin as an example.

No, because it is not used as an ordinary spoken language for everyday communication. If a community got together in a country and used Latin as a spoken language to communicate, it would then be considered a living language. (Though i'm pretty sure that no one can speak Latin with real fluency today, anyway. Most Romans didn't even speak the Latin we are talking about.)

[Wallenburg]

OOC: I question the need to protect official languages, which by their nature are highly promoted by their use in official and legal settings.

They probably don't, but since they aren't targeted anyway it doesn't matter.

OOC: As well as plenty of languages, including official languages, that are not marginalized or sparsely used at all.

Correct.

Make up your mind.

OOC: Let me explain by giving you an example. Would Latin constitute a living language? Because the very definition of "dead language" picks out Latin as an example.

No, because it is not used as an ordinary spoken language for everyday communication. If a community got together in a country and used Latin as a spoken language to communicate, it would then be considered a living language. (Though i'm pretty sure that no one can speak Latin with real fluency today, anyway. Most Romans didn't even speak the Latin we are talking about.)

So you insist that Latin is a non-living language. Yet you specifically said that "a non-living native language is one that has gone extinct", and Latin most certainly is not extinct. Again, make up your mind.

[Stoskavanya]

Make up your mind.

I don't see how those two quotes are mutually exclusive? Yes, under this definition languages that are healthy and protected are covered under this proposal, but if they aren't a target anyway it doesn't matter.

So you insist that Latin is a non-living language. Yet you specifically said that "a non-living native language is one that has gone extinct", and Latin most certainly is not extinct. Again, make up your mind.

Let me rephrase. A non-living language is one no longer used as an ordinary spoken language for everyday communication

Sure, we'll approve this one. Seems like a worthwhile initiative.

Thank you for your support.

[Sarakart]

Okay, here's a fundamental question. When we speak of minority languages, are we speaking of immigrant languages or not? There are many immigrants, both migrant laborers and permanent resident in Sarakart, for one reason or another. Where the buck stops is the distinction between these immigrant populations and longstanding minority populations. Does a language which is important somewhere else become a minority language when it is a minority within that nation?

[Stoskavanya]

Okay, here's a fundamental question. When we speak of minority languages, are we speaking of immigrant languages or not? There are many immigrants, both migrant laborers and permanent resident in Sarakart, for one reason or another. Where the buck stops is the distinction between these immigrant populations and longstanding minority populations. Does a language which is important somewhere else become a minority language when it is a minority within that nation?

Yes, the first clause applies to minority immigrant languages, even if their language is spoken as a majority elsewhere in another nation.

[Kenmoria]

"It seems the vast majority of delagatations are in favour of the bill, it looks very set to pass."

[Araraukar]

"Due to Araraukarian policy of "one nation, one language", and this proposal's seeming intent on making national language identity impossible, our vote is cast against."

OOC: Ambivalent OOCly, so IC reasons made the choice of vote.

[Tinfect]

OOC:
Im going to make an exception here to how I usually do things; this vote is cast entirely for OOC reasons. I've been avoiding the Drafting on this one, but it looks to have turned out extremely well.

[American Eastern States]

OOC: Finally, something other than Biomedical research.

[Tobleste]

OOC: The bill seems to be brilliant. If it was an option for an issue about minority language laws, I'd view this direction as the perfect choice.

[Trumps New United States]

"Our policy of National Unity prevents our nation from supporting this bill because multiple languages jeopardizes National Unity"

[Reikswald]

My colleagues of this esteemed assembly,

I come to you today, to attempt to convince you as to why the passage of this resolution would be a terrible idea for those of who value nationhood.

While diverstiy amongst languages is a good thing, I think it is wrong, and an overstep of this assembly, to force a nation not to promote the use of its own over all others. A nation, according to its official definition, is a " large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, and language, inhabiting a particular country or territory".

I dont care what you speak in the privacy of your own home, but when interacting in public, in my nation of Reikwald, for instance, we speak the languages of our region, German and English. This is no manner is a declaration to the world stage that our language is far superior to everyone else's, it is simply a recognition that we take pride in that language of our country, and dont wish for it to be diluted with other tongues.

This is simply how nations operate! You cannot force your elder citizens to learn a new language, because their brain can no longer competently process new languages! It would be cruel for their heath to pass this bill.

Why? Because if we allow the use of a million different languages within our borders, someone is going to have to learn a new language to be able to communicate. If you have ever ventured beyond the safety of your country's borders, and tried to communicate with someone in a foreign country, they will typically speak in their native tongue, and expect you to learn it. You came to their land, after all!

Think of it this way. If I come to your house, and speak a different language to you and your family, you have no idea what I am saying. I could be insulting you, I could be trying to ask where the washroom is, or I could be trying to warn you of impending danger. You would never know, of course, because your government said "Hey lets stop trying to promote our language so we can all understand each other, and lets worry about people's feelings instead!"

This presents a safety concern as well. If law enforcement is telling someone to "HALT" and they aren't stopping, and instead decide to continue on, simply because when they came to your country, your government said "You can keep your language because we decided to stop promoting our own, for fear of suppressing yours" It will end very badly. The police could go to arrest the person, causing a terrible civil law violation, because the person being arrested is not aware why they are being arrested, or the person could become scared and try to run. Police will either pursue, or shoot.

So, with that being said, I plead with my fellow delegates in this assembly, think about this resolution. It my be all flowers and rainbows now, but it is bound to cause terrible consequence is the future.

[Stoskavanya]

My colleagues of this esteemed assembly, ...

Nothing in this proposal stops you from requiring persons to learn the official national language, either through education or sensible integration programs.

[Reikswald]

My colleagues of this esteemed assembly, ...

Nothing in this proposal stops you from requiring persons to learn the official national language, either through education or sensible integration programs.

On the contrary, it does. This law states that it prohibits any nation from "[endorsing] any other efforts to suppress the active use of a minority language" which is exactly what a nation does when it sets a national language, and tells other people that they have to use the language in public to communicate with others.

The nation of Reikswald is proud of its national language and heritage, and we will not so quickly implement this resolution, nor will we so readily consider it law, upon its eventual passage.

[Greater Free Oceania]

Nothing in this proposal stops you from requiring persons to learn the official national language, either through education or sensible integration programs.

On the contrary, it does. This law states that it prohibits any nation from "[endorsing] any other efforts to suppress the active use of a minority language" which is exactly what a nation does when it sets a national language, and tells other people that they have to use the language in public to communicate with others.

The nation of Reikswald is proud of its national language and heritage, and we will not so quickly implement this resolution, nor will we so readily consider it law, upon its eventual passage.

To quote the last line of the proposal, "Notes that nothing in this resolution is to be construed as to prevent persons from becoming multilingual, to prevent member nations from establishing a national language, instituting compulsory language education, or any other unreasonable interpretation not in the spirit of protecting minority languages from the threat of language death."

[Christian Democrats]

We don't like the "encourages" clause, but the rest of this proposal is fine.

For.

[Stoskavanya]

The nation of Reikswald is proud of its national language and heritage, and we will not so quickly implement this resolution, nor will we so readily consider it law, upon its eventual passage.

In addition to what Greater Free Oceania quoted,

I'm glad that your people take pride in their language and heritage, especially if expressed in a positive matter. However, one needs to remember that many minority groups, who hold the very same pride of their language as you do, don't have the luxury of a strong supportive national government that favors them.

[Greater Free Oceania]

The nation of Reikswald is proud of its national language and heritage, and we will not so quickly implement this resolution, nor will we so readily consider it law, upon its eventual passage.

Assuming that you don't have any sizable minority groups in your nation who's own language is at risk of extinction, this probably won't effect you anyways. And if you do, then do they not have a right to take pride in their cultural heritage?

[Greater Free Oceania]

Nothing in this proposal stops you from requiring persons to learn the official national language, either through education or sensible integration programs.

On the contrary, it does. This law states that it prohibits any nation from "[endorsing] any other efforts to suppress the active use of a minority language" which is exactly what a nation does when it sets a national language, and tells other people that they have to use the language in public to communicate with others.

When a nation declares a national language, they very rarely outlaw the use of other languages, they simply mandate that public documents are written in said language.

[United Cities of Happy City]

My nation is made of two people groups; Egyptian and American, so to make a common platform Cityen was made to be our official language way back at the founding of our great nation. A new language to join the people together. Yes people still speak Arabic and English but all government anything is done in Cityen. Many languages in a nation only divides it's people, and they can not work together to reach their True potential

[Alenburg]

Alenburgian Ambassador Gabriel De Klerk makes his interruption during the WA meeting:" Alenburg votes against this resolution,Alenburg is already a unique language country even the people who speak ancient Alenburgians languages from Northen Alenburg like Clawtawn to Southern Alenburg like Roshines Bay must learn our basic languages for their every day lives,but speaking their local languages is not forbidden but it is not valid for any commercial or political use but as well we installed a program for learning any languages Alenburgians students want to learn on primary school, looking at this resolutions from inmigrations point of view,Alenburg is against we already removed our inmigration ban yes for giving political asylum to a Maxtopian refugee,Alenburgian parliamment passed a legislation that any refugee who wants to come,apply and live in Alenburg must learn our language,our culture and our history first for not affecting Alenburg, Alenburg first above all thank you very much"

[Kenmoria]

Alenburgian Ambassador Gabriel De Klerk makes his interruption during the WA meeting:" Alenburg votes against this resolution,Alenburg is already a unique language country even the people who speak ancient Alenburgians languages from Northen Alenburg like Clawtawn to Southern Alenburg like Roshines Bay must learn our basic languages for their every day lives,but speaking their local languages is not forbidden but it is not valid for any commercial or political use but as well we installed a program for learning any languages Alenburgians students want to learn on primary school, looking at this resolutions from inmigrations point of view,Alenburg is against we already removed our inmigration ban yes for giving political asylum to a Maxtopian refugee,Alenburgian parliamment passed a legislation that any refugee who wants to come,apply and live in Alenburg must learn our language,our culture and our history first for not affecting Alenburg, Alenburg first above all thank you very much"

"I see no reason why having refugees of people who know local languages speaking them harms the culture of Alenburg, if anything it should enhance it by making it more diverse."

[Alenburg]

My colleagues of this esteemed assembly,

I come to you today, to attempt to convince you as to why the passage of this resolution would be a terrible idea for those of who value nationhood.

While diverstiy amongst languages is a good thing, I think it is wrong, and an overstep of this assembly, to force a nation not to promote the use of its own over all others. A nation, according to its official definition, is a " large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, and language, inhabiting a particular country or territory".

I dont care what you speak in the privacy of your own home, but when interacting in public, in my nation of Reikwald, for instance, we speak the languages of our region, German and English. This is no manner is a declaration to the world stage that our language is far superior to everyone else's, it is simply a recognition that we take pride in that language of our country, and dont wish for it to be diluted with other tongues.

This is simply how nations operate! You cannot force your elder citizens to learn a new language, because their brain can no longer competently process new languages! It would be cruel for their heath to pass this bill.

Why? Because if we allow the use of a million different languages within our borders, someone is going to have to learn a new language to be able to communicate. If you have ever ventured beyond the safety of your country's borders, and tried to communicate with someone in a foreign country, they will typically speak in their native tongue, and expect you to learn it. You came to their land, after all!

Think of it this way. If I come to your house, and speak a different language to you and your family, you have no idea what I am saying. I could be insulting you, I could be trying to ask where the washroom is, or I could be trying to warn you of impending danger. You would never know, of course, because your government said "Hey lets stop trying to promote our language so we can all understand each other, and lets worry about people's feelings instead!"

This presents a safety concern as well. If law enforcement is telling someone to "HALT" and they aren't stopping, and instead decide to continue on, simply because when they came to your country, your government said "You can keep your language because we decided to stop promoting our own, for fear of suppressing yours" It will end very badly. The police could go to arrest the person, causing a terrible civil law violation, because the person being arrested is not aware why they are being arrested, or the person could become scared and try to run. Police will either pursue, or shoot.

So, with that being said, I plead with my fellow delegates in this assembly, think about this resolution. It my be all flowers and rainbows now, but it is bound to cause terrible consequence is the future.

Agree with my friend from Relkswald this resolution is very huge mistake Alenburg already pointed it and mantaining our words, Alenburg already quit the inmigration ban but we are not going to permit that our culture,history and language would be affected.

[Alenburg]

Alenburgian Ambassador Gabriel De Klerk makes his interruption during the WA meeting:" Alenburg votes against this resolution,Alenburg is already a unique language country even the people who speak ancient Alenburgians languages from Northen Alenburg like Clawtawn to Southern Alenburg like Roshines Bay must learn our basic languages for their every day lives,but speaking their local languages is not forbidden but it is not valid for any commercial or political use but as well we installed a program for learning any languages Alenburgians students want to learn on primary school, looking at this resolutions from inmigrations point of view,Alenburg is against we already removed our inmigration ban yes for giving political asylum to a Maxtopian refugee,Alenburgian parliamment passed a legislation that any refugee who wants to come,apply and live in Alenburg must learn our language,our culture and our history first for not affecting Alenburg, Alenburg first above all thank you very much"

"I see no reason why having refugees of people who know local languages speaking them harms the culture of Alenburg, if anything it should enhance it by making it more diverse."

"Alenburg is a conservative nation with our rules,our history and our culture and of course our policies that must be respected as i say our ancient languages are not forbidden any Alenburgian who speaks dutch,german our afrikaans can speak it but everyday living only english serve"