MDDM18: German

[Otto]

"(...) the facts are very different from the legend."

Thanks Terrance, this "official- language" myth would have been my next
question.

"If these people are Americans, let them speak our language. If they don't
know it, let them learn it. If they don't like it, let them move. . . ."
http://www-lib.iupui.edu/kade/adams/chap7.html
This is similar to how Germany treats legal immigrants today (contrary to
all official efforts some still manage it to get here).

When did English become official US-language? Or has it never been a
question at all?

Otto

----- Original Message -----
From: Terrance <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 6:14 AM
Subject: Re: MDDM18: German


The legend usually goes something like this: "In 1776, German came
within one vote of becoming America's official language instead of
English."

http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa010820a.htm

http://www.users.voicenet.com/~wordinfo/deutsch/deutschlink.htm

1743 First Bible printed in America by Christopher Saur-in German

1764 German Society for the Protection of Immigrants in Philadelphia

http://www-lib.iupui.edu/kade/adams/toc.html


Of course, conspiracy minded reader may want to check out project
rainbow.

Also, on the square members, I think there are not a few carpenter jokes
in these chapters and more will follow. Getting the long tube in and out
of the door and so forth....




jbor wrote:
>
> I think that "among the Clientele" (298.17) at 'The Flower-de-Luce' are
> German-speaking colonists and their descendants and friends, who
congregate
> there to speak with one another, in German, on topics of common interest.