From: benlizro@ihug.co.nz   
      
   On 6/05/2024 10:50 p.m., Ross Clark wrote:   
   > "This day was officially established in 2009 by the Community of   
   > Portuguese-speaking Countries, and in 2019 UNESCO made it a world day --   
   > the first time such a status had been given to a language that isn't an   
   > official medium at the United Nations. The case was supportedby two   
   > facts: Portuguese isthe most widely spoken language in the southern   
   > hemisphere, notably in Brazil; and it was a leading language during the   
   > first wave of globalization, introducing loan words into many   
   > languages." (Crystal)   
   >   
   > No explanation of why this day. Antonio?   
      
   SORRY! Should be  5 MAY!!   
      
   Is that easier to answer?   
      
   >   
   > UNESCO, naturally, honours big languages with days. New Zealand has   
   > taken to doing it in weeks, and all the languages so honoured would have   
   > to be called small (if not tiny) on a world scale. It started with Maori   
   > Language Week, quite a few years ago, at a time when the language still   
   > seemed seriously endangered. The week has expanded to a month, but the   
   > language seems to have reached a much healthier state for a variety of   
   > reasons.   
   >   
   > They have now added Tongan, Samoan, Niuean and some other Pacific   
   > islands from which substantial numbers of immigrants have settled here.   
   > Those immigrant communities have had varying success in keeping their   
   > languages going here.   
   >   
   > Just recently it was announced that we would have Tok Pisin and Solomons   
   > Pijin weeks in the near future. (I don't know why Bislama was   
   > overlooked.) The actual number of speakers of these in NZ must be even   
   > smaller.   
   >   
   > Today is the first day of NZ Sign Language Week. NZSL enjoys national-   
   > language status along with Maori, so one can't argue with its inclusion.   
   > One of the special events was an Air NZ flight (maybe just an hour's   
   > sightseeing jaunt) with all deaf passengers and all cabin crew able to   
   > communicate in NZSL.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)