Cultural Diversity-by Installments

**damker** · 04-08-2002, 07:38 PM

----- Original Message -----
From: Damianopoulos A. Damianos
To: [email:3s10a20h]myeurope@eun.org[/email:3s10a20h]
Sent: 01 April 2002 21:56
Subject: [Myeurope] YOUR "CONTACT" MESSAGE

Dear Colleagues,
I really should like to participate in your project as I am in favour of diversity and intercultural exchange and mobility. Could you please advise ways in which I might take part in the effort?
Yours
__________________________________________________ ____
Damianopoulos A. Damianos

**damker** · 04-08-2002, 07:40 PM

----- Original Message -----
From: Éamonn Ó Gribín
To: Damianopoulos A. Damianos ; [email:13hxyl19]myeurope@eun.org[/email:13hxyl19]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 9:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Myeurope] YOUR "CONTACT" MESSAGE

Dia dhaoibh, a chairde,

Maidir le: "I am in favour of diversity.." ( féach ar bhun, litir Damianopoulos A. Damianos )

An féidir le éinne amuigh ansin a mhíniú domh conas a spreagann rangan Béarla an t-éagssúlacht?

Dear friends,
Regarding: "I am in favour of diversity.. (See letter below from Damianopoulos A. Damianos )

Could someone out there explain to me how the teaching of English is going to encourage diversity?

Le dea-ghuí
With good wishes

Éamonn Ó Gribín

**damker** · 04-08-2002, 07:44 PM

Dear members of myEurope,

First of all I wish to thank Iamonn for responding to my message (both displayed below) raising the issue of cultural diversity.

I don't know if Iamonn's question was rhetorical or genuine, but I have the feeling that it is a rhetorical one, namely that "if English is spread far and wide, this is not going to help cultural diversity".

I would like to clarify some views here. It is of utmost importance for the cultural identity of the peoples of Europe to be preserved as priceless cultural legacy and among other things the different languages used not only in Europe, but all over the world. Polymorphism (deriving from the Greek poly=much morphe=form + -ism=abstract noun ending) is something healthy and welcome. Richness in form offers strength to communities and fights boredom, whereas uniformity is not only boring, but also undemocratic, restrictive and subject to decline.
[TO BE CONTINUED]

**damker** · 04-08-2002, 07:45 PM

However, the existence of linguae francae is not a hindrance to this abundance of variety. On the contrary, they can be used to understand and savour the fruits of other cultures and an example of that is the very same message of our friend Iamonn, which functions as a Rosetta Stone to teach me, or at least help me guess the following, instigating in me, or any other person for that matter, the comparative linguist:

The language looks like Irish or Welsh, or maybe Gaelic?(not likely).
Maidir le = regarding
litir = (may mean) from, although it looks like "letter" to me.
Béarla = (may mean) English (as it is spelt with a capital "B".
Le dea-ghuí = With good wishes.
[TO BE CONTINUED]

**damker** · 04-08-2002, 07:48 PM

I may be wrong in my guesses, but the fact that such a process is the beginning of an effort to understand a completely different nation is a HUGE step forward in establishing understanding among nations.

What if Isrealis and Palestinians were to decide to solve their mutual problems by approaching each other in a similar way! Then there would be Gloria in Excelsis Deo rather than Sanguis in Terra.

Thanks for being so patient with me.
Your friend
Damian.
__________________________________________________ ____
Damianopoulos A. Damianos