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From: iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Ivan A Derzhanski)
Subject: Re: Hungarian / Czecho-Slovakian
Message-ID: <D2xp7M.L4E@cogsci.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK
References: <rharmsen.176.00160003@knoware.nl> <cagalj.1.00476293@mailer.uni-marburg.de>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 1995 23:57:20 GMT
Lines: 45

In article <cagalj.1.00476293@mailer.uni-marburg.de> cagalj@mailer.uni-marburg.de (Tomislav K. Cagalj) writes:
>there is no "czecho-slovak" language,

Right.

>just as there is no "serbo-croat" language

Wrong.

>- due to the fact that the peoples (and people, of course) in power 
>decided whether languages where fusioned or not and by several means
>of propaganda have distributed this hybridized nomenclatura,

To the best of my knowledge, no one in power has ever suggested that
Czech and Slovak are not separate languages.  For the most part it's
very average people in the West who think that they aren't, misled
by the existence of a single political entity called Czechoslovakia.

>even nowadays the reoccuring attempts of the recently become
>independent nations are classified as irrational and nationalist
>acts, although the particularities are evident.

Name two evident `particularities' (three for extra credit) which
support the idea that there is no Serbo-Croat language.

>my basic point is that people have to come to terms with the fact
>that croat, slovak, czech and serbian are related yet independent
>languages (despite what others might think)

People have to come to terms with that, despite what others might think?
Who are those others, pray?  Gorillas?  Dolphins?

That about Croat and Serbian is not a fact until you show that it is.
I'm not holding my breath, though.

>sorry, if this more a political than linguist aspect i've brought up,
>but i deemed it necessary.

Then it was also necessary for you to get appropriately flamed.

-- 
`Don't know whit ye're bletherin aboot', said Peter.    (The Glasgow Gospel)
Ivan A Derzhanski (iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk, iad@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu)
* Centre for Cognitive Science,  2 Buccleuch Place,   Edinburgh EH8 9LW,  UK
* Cowan House E113, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Pk Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5BD, UK
