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Path: utzoo!hcrvax!ken
From: ken@hcrvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: Multi-lingual countries
Message-ID: <2599@hcrvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Nov-86 12:06:09 EST
Article-I.D.: hcrvax.2599
Posted: Wed Nov 12 12:06:09 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Nov-86 05:37:21 EST
References: <743@argon.idec.stc.co.uk>
Reply-To: ken@hcrvax.UUCP (ken scott, [decvax,ihnp4]!utzoo!hcr!ken)
Organization: Human Computing Resources, Toronto
Lines: 35
Summary: 

In article <743@argon.idec.stc.co.uk> alan@idec.stc.co.uk (Alan Spreadbury) writes:
>[problem in Belgium, language groups (French vs Flemish)
>	at each other's throats]

>What happened?  Does this sort of thing happen in other multi-lingual
>countries?

You bet it does.  In Canada (not exactly a hot-headed population) as
we enter the seventies we had "The FLQ Crisis."  Terrorists from the
Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnapped and murdered a Quebec
government minister, and kidnapped the British ambassador.  The
government proclaimed a "state of emergency," i.e. martial law with
all that that entails.

More recently, the separatist Parti Quebecois, at the time the
provincial government in Quebec, passed an outrageous law called
Bill 101, which make it illegal (among other things) to have store
signs in English.  Not English _only_, but with any English at all.
The press had a field day, writing stories about a little kid selling
Christmas trees who was fined for having English on his sign.
That law has not been revoked, although it is not currently enforced.

>Is this the reason for Proposition whatever-it-was in
>California (making English the only official language)?

I doubt it.  That is simply the bourgeoisie trying to maintain
the status quo, which is favourable to them.
-- 
 - Ken Scott
	[decvax,ihnp4]!utzoo!hcr!ken

	For, I said to myself, what is the universe?  Big.
	And what am I?  Little.  I therefore might as well be
	at home, where my wife loves me.
			- Henderson, The Rain King