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From: iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Ivan A Derzhanski)
Subject: Re: Macedonian Language?
Message-ID: <DD6tA1.5qC@cogsci.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK
References: <1995Jul25.215552.11833@chemabs.uucp> <3v6so8$3em@harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au> <1995Aug2.203644.20683@chemabs.uucp>
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 07:39:12 GMT
Lines: 36

In article <1995Aug2.203644.20683@chemabs.uucp> rturkel@cas.org (Rick Turkel) writes:
>In article <3v6so8$3em@harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au>, Tsamaidis Harry <htsa1@geko.eng.monash.edu.au> wrote:
>>Rick Turkel (rturkel@cas.org) wrote:
>>%It's closer to Bulgarian than to Serbian, but it's not mutually
>>%intelligible with either.
>>---------------------------
>>    "not mutually intelligible" is true.
>>  ... but some understanding can filter through
>>in the same was that an english speaking person
>>can read 'french'.
>
>So what?  No one contends that English and French are the same language.

If the two of you are implying that the degree of mutual intelligibility
between Bulgarian (meaning the official language of the Republic of
Bulgaria) and Macedonian is of the same degree as the one between French
and English, you're out of your minds.

When was the last time either of you heard an English and a French
speaker converse without an interpreter?  Or a French speaker talk
on the UK or US media without being dubbed?  Voices from Macedonia
are not dubbed on the Bulgarian media, and although the words may sound
somewhat odd to the audience in Bulgaria, every word `filters through'.

The relation is closer to (though I'm not claiming that it is exactly
the same as) the one between London English and Glaswegian (I mean
Scottish English, not Scots).  Or Prussian German and Bavarian German.
Or Dutch and Afrikaans.  Or Danish and Norwegian.  Or any two idioms
which are close enough for their speakers to be able to communicate
directly, although considered separate for political reasons.

-- 
`Man, is that no terrible?  [...]  Ah wunner whit we should dae wi ye?'
Ivan A Derzhanski (iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk)    (J Stuart, _Auld Testament Tales_)
* Centre for Cognitive Science,  2 Buccleuch Place,   Edinburgh EH8 9LW,  UK
* Cowan House E113, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Pk Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5BD, UK
