How meaningful is language?

 

"It's only words and words are all I have" ..to say what I have to say!

Recently on tv I heard an interviewer questioning public of all ages about abbreviations and the modern text language. His question was: "Do you always know or understand what someone is trying to say to you or message they have for you?"  In this ever speedy world we live in, when news travels faster the the speed of light, do we make ourselves clear when communicating? Is a quick message on the phone with BRB ( Be Right Back) and a 👍 polite? One gentleman, say age wise around the mid 60s said, " oh the young people don't use words, they use those pictograms. You know, those funny face things like a smiley. I've got them on my phone too but don't really know why or when I should use them." Another comment was, " "Why should students learn to write? They can't spell anymore they just use abbreviations. I never now what my children are on about these days! 

Well, the abbreviations and bad spelling is something that's very evident when I see posts online. Now I am not a language buff, expert or champion. I make grammatically technical mistakes and know it. I do like language(s) though. I also think we need clear, concise and comprehensible language skills to stay in communication with each other. To continue the dialogue about who we are, what we mean and what our intensions, hope and dreams are.

There is so much to learn about language, spoken, written, or symbolized in pictograms or sign language. My language, your language. I've Googled some information: 

History

The language dates back to roughly 150,000 years ago. However, all the linguistic evidence dates back to around 6000 years ago, when writing began. Consequently, the major history of language is discovered through guesses and written evidence that is much newer than the era that the linguists study.

Why is language important to identity? Language is intrinsic to the expression of culture. As a means of communicating values, beliefs and customs, it has an important social function and fosters feelings of group identity and solidarity. It is the means by which culture and its traditions and shared values may be conveyed and preserved.

I live in a Dutch speaking country, well it was originally. Now I do not have a problem with multi cultural multi lingual communities, countries and the spread of peoples around the world. I was once an immigrant too. What does get to me though is that individual countries it seems, are losing a grip on their own language, their customs and identity as certainly in our country, we are replacing our language with English. Yet we aren't an English culture country. There are things we can't express in the same manner. My example of this was many years ago when I lived in New Zealand and needed to take my young son to the doctor. I tried to explain an emotion/feeling/symptom and was EVER SO GLAD I had a Dutch doctor as GP. Now there was nothing wrong with my English language skills. I had spent more years there than in my country of birth- yet for a certain emotion or feeling I just couldn't find the words to do that justice. Of course I found a substitute, but it wasn't one that came from the inner ME.

So taking that back to the interviewer, how do we with our 'new age' language skills help express  ourselves according to upbringing, culture and ability to make ourselves understood? Are those EMOJIS enough? Are abbreviations multi lingual? 

Sometimes I get caught up in these thoughts and wonder how the world is going to look in say 100 years from now. We live in an era where we can source information about our past at the touch of a keyboard. What sort of information will there be to read about in 100 years time about our language development? Will we have gone back to symbols like the Greeks, cave people and Romans, to name a few, used?

One of the reasons for this soul searching subject was our time in France recently. A 5 week road trip. Our French was deplorable having not been to France for a number of years, where as we used to go annually. We coped with Google Translate, hands, feet, gestures and the English language. I'm ashamed we were left wanting. It also hampered connecting with some lovely people we never got to know due to our lack of language skills. 

So that's my burble for today. Have a great day/week and 

Be safe    Be kind    Keep smiling

This is the link to my YouTube channel

Learning about the past

History all around you -

While traveling through France recently I learnt a lot ( didn't remember it all) about the places I visited and the people who made things happen there in times long gone. Internet at one's finger tips to discover why this particular person has been immortalized in a statue. Why a bridge carries a certain name. How the city flag or crest came into being. Quite mysterious then, how this was the topic in a message to me by my Australian grandson. 

- and that of the family kind

“Oma, does our ( meaning my) family have a family crest? Here I was, in a lovely restored French barn now a modern comfortable holiday let, a gîte, overlooking the Pyrenees when this message popped on my screen.

Now it isn’t that Max isn’t interested in his paternal family ( his granddad), but Max has been to the Netherlands. He has stood on the spot where the house once stood in which I was born. He has scaled the church tower from the Bonifatius in Leeuwarden, the one my father climbed when the Netherlands, and more precisely, the North, was liberated ending WWII.

I think, summize, that those experiences and the memories he gained has had a deeper impact on him and now, 4 years on years and their relevance has a deeper meaning.

Yes, there is a crest in the family on my mum’s side. Dating presumably since the 1600s. There is a description of the symbols but not a really clear explanation why those symbols were used. Obviously there are guesses, well thought out suppositions and stabs in the dark. 

I have translated and shared the findings, will pointed him to our genealogy website and promised to unearth ( I have a source 😇) information on my dad’s side. 

The question arose, is it an idea to create our own crest…one which embraces the Dutch/ Frysian/ New Zealand and Australian heritage to which he belongs? What would he/ we want this crest to say, to tell future generations about us, about Max and his digging into his roots? 

It got me thinking, as things do, and I realise those crests did have purpose. Why did ‘we’ stop creating or claiming them? Who has a right to the family crest designed by those so long ago with their story in mind? 

Being an OmaFArAway, I wanted something tangible and lasting to introduce myself and extended family to my grandchildren. I unearthed photos of my grandparents, aunts and uncles, my siblings, and their children. I created a mini genealogy album. To date I have made one for them all with one in the making. Yes, I am to become an OMA once more. Baby is due end of August early September. And YES, I am looking at my travel possibilities to return Down Under for the first time since leaving there mid May 2019 after a 3 month Oma visit. 

So thoughts to ponder on, ideas to develop and choices to be made. Who has and still uses the family crest for official or unofficial purposes. Letterheads maybe?

So back to the drawing board I go, researching more information for my video I am working on. I am grateful for those who spend time building all these information websites. Now there's a challenging task. 

Be good be kind and keep smiling.

 

Link to my YouTube channel: OmaFarAway

Stapvoets vandaag - taking it easy today

Scroll down for the English version

'tJa, daar zitten we dan. Op balkon met ventilator aan, zonnescherm tot het uiterste gestrekt en benen op de bank/stoel. Een fles water, nee twee flessen water, zijn snel leeg. Wat is het warm. Dit valt niet onder klagen maar constateren. Nederland verkeert in 'verkeerd' weer. Het is voorjaar. De temperaturen lijken volop zomers. " Nog even", zegt het weermannetje, dan zakken de temperaturen weer. Ja, mijn Australische kleinzoon is wel wat gewend, maar net als ik, kan hij niet goed tegen die hitte. Dus zoek ik nu activiteiten die meer 'binnenshuis' zijn.

Gisteren naar Oudenbosch geweest. Twee grootvaders van mijn waren Zouaven. In Oudenbosch is een kleinschalig museum. Na dit allemaal bekeken en besproken te hebben liepen we richting de Basiliek. Zo indrukwekkend. Heerlijk koel ook binnen. Dat merkten we trouwens niet terwijl wij de trap (140 treden) betraden naar boven in de koepel.

Al dit was totaal onbekend voor mijn kleinzoon. Ik ben katholiek opgevoed maar heb ik veel informatie over familie en geschiednis. Ook wat betreft geloof, in welke vorm dan ook, is voor iedereen anders. Deze dag was schitterend voor ons 'gesprek van de dag'. Over God, bidden, geloven op zich. Zulke momenten zijn goud waard. Hij hoeft niets aan te nemen van mij. Maar het is wel leuk, of fijn, om hem vragen te horen stellen en te merken dat er dingen zijn waar hij over nadenkt.

Enfin, wat ook heel prettig was, dat er een Italiaans ijssalon tegenover de Basiliek aanwezig was. Ik was hier bijna 3 jaar eerder geweest met mijn andere 3 kleinkinderen. Alleen toen was het stukken kouder en zaten we binnen aan de 'hot chocolate' en nu buiten op een schaduwrijk terras met een ijscoupe.

Ik loop achter met mn videos. Die van Rotterdam staat nu online, die van Kinderdijk, Madurodam en Oudenbosch zijn 'works in progress'. We genieten vandaag nog van het prettige weer- in de schaduw. Morgen zou het gaan regenen. Tijd om van alles in te halen. Ook het stofzuigen.....!

Well, here we are, in the shade and it is only 10 am. We are experiencing unusually high temperature for the time of year. No, not complaining, just stating a fact. For some, pure joy, for the not so keen, a bit of a trial. My Australian grandson and I aren't built for temperatures above 24. Still, it isn't hard to keep our programme sorted so we don't have to be out in the heat all day.

Yesterday we went to Oudenbosch. A shortish drive to a small township which boasts a few great attractions. A Zouaven Museum and a replica of the Basiliek from Rome ( the links are in English)

It was lovely and cool in the Basiliek, but before we climbed the stairs we went to the small museum. Two of my grandparents were zouaven and I felt compelled to share their story. Some of their personal belongings are in this museum and a few years ago I was privileged to be allowed to hold them and see their handwriting on their enrollment and weekly entries in their notebooks. Quite special.

The Basiliek is open to the public and one can arrange tours. We didn't necessarily want a full tour but a private visit. After walking down the impressive aisle we approached the turret  or tower and climbed the 140 steps to the top of the dome. Such a grandeur but also serenity and awe.

Our conversation yesterday hinged round belief, faith, history and personal insights. So very special a time on which I will look back on and remember with much fondness. We closed off the visit with Max lighting some candles - as I always like to do. A sense of comfort and reassurance is my reward for keeping this tradition alive. After leaving the Basiliek we crossed the road to the Italian Ijssalon and gratefully sat in the shade enjoying lovely Italian ice cream. How fitting to have this business across the road from this Roman Icon.

As it is, I feel like I'm running behind with my videos. So much to go and see and do. We aren't home much- but the days we do go away, we limit the time to the cooler hours. Then there is the vacuuming, washing, cooking......! So after posting Rotterdam yesterday I am getting a grip on things again. Tonight a couple more videos for everyone to enjoy watching.

OmaFarAway signing off- to explore more of NL with her grandson.