Re: the difference between Latvia and Lithuania

Peteris Cedrins wrote:
On 29 Jūl., 00:11, Vladimir Makarenko <vmak...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Peteris Cedrins wrote:
On 28 Jūl., 22:17, "J. Anderson" <anderso...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Peteris Cedrins" <cedr...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:441a4939-d8b9-4ed3-8be6-7267090d1837@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There is no need to be nastily insensitive about anything, no. I know
very sensitive people who aren't nasty at all when they simply insist
upon Latvian. It's the opposite of nasty -- it is helpful.
I have a confession to make: I've spoken Russian in Estonia! A few weeks ago
on our way to Patarei Prison we had a snack at Hotel Skåne, a place that I
know to be entirely Russophone. My dish was really delicious, and when the
waitress cleared away the plate I spontaneously exclaimed "Ochen khoroshó!"
She answered "Spasibo", looking very pleased and surprised to hear a couple
of Russian words from Finnish visitors.
Am I a traitor now?
We can forgive you, Džon. We'll think about it, at least. You're not
the one who will shortly launch into a "Balts did the Balts" thing.
I could recount hundreds of situations that could illustrate my view.
I could pull some out that would feed the fires of all kinds of
nationalism, for sure. One thing I have noticed is that if I do insist
upon Latvian, others in line will do the same. Sometimes they will
even comment on how good it feels. You wouldn't know that there are so
many lettophones here until that happens; most are quite used to going
with the flow. The flow needs to be changed. This is where Gintas is
correct; why to pick the pharmacy example is beyond me. As to the law,
Russian is a foreign language. No pharmacist has to serve you in
Russian. Most will, and be thankful. Demand? No, sorry, because then
one would need to learn Russian to work in a pharmacy, and Russians
have no right to ask for that. Harsh? Not at all, and again -- in
reality, lettophones still have more problems than russophones.
Anita's sentence is essentially correct: "I do think that
establishments in Latvia that have public contact are required to be
able to communicate in Latvian," but this is mostly up to the
employer. It is now the employer who sets the categories and
qualifications, and the regulations -- how the law is actually applied
-- aren't as clear as they were. If they affect consumer rights,
health, security and so on, they are supposed to be able to speak
Latvian at a set level. Someone like a pharmacist is required to have
the highest level. In practice? Don't ask. But as to anybody needing
Russian -- officially, no. Again, Russian is a foreign language, and
though there are unwritten rules that require most everyone to know
it, you have no right to whine about the lack of it in terms of the
law. The policies we have are designed to make Latvian the lingua
franca, and we explicitly reject bilingualism. I heartily agree with
our policies. How they are implemented, what we need to do, how nice
everyone is to the babushka needing her meds and so on are complex
matters, but the status of Russian is not going to change. If
anything, it will encounter yet more pressure and be yet further
marginalized. The Latvianization has produced a backlash, but the
backlash will produce a backlash, and so on.
/P
Petya do not booby trap yourself with radicalism as "Russian is a
foreign language". It is not. It is lingering in legal twilight zone but
it is a language of the country de facto: isn't educational system is
partly (and officially) in Russian? Or try to interrogate anybody who
refuses to speak Latvian (mind you - even if s/he knows one).
It's only a matter of time when such a lawsuit will come slamming the
system. I am surprised it hasn't happened already or has it?

As to willingness to learn/speak Latvia - it's directly proportional to
poverty/education. What is left there to exercise one's Ego if one has
no money nor a hope for a well paid job? - "Kvasnoi patriotism" as it
called in Russia.

VM.

I am speaking in legal terms here; Russian is classified as a foreign
language, period.

Except you omitting that part of country educational system operates in particular "foreign" language: by the state, on the state money, etc. Which makes the boundary official/foreign legally blurred.

It has exactly the same status as Tagalog, Latin, or
Nuyorican.

How many schools are run by Latvian state in these languages?

As to lawsuits, we're considerably more advanced in Europe

Oh, sure. I just do not when the official EU's name change is scheduled to happen? To EK - European Khalifat?

and are all subject to the same court in Strasbourg.

Is it already Sharia or still runs on Roman system?

Sue my arse off,
please. You would lose, and badly.

Why would I sue you? - you are not filthy rich. But somebody will sue Latvian state for sure.
If it didn't happened so far then only because you are underdeveloped to reach a stage of "litigation society", however one day people learn about American Dream: to sue somebody and retire with very healthy checking account. Then the music come. Sooner than later.

VM.

/P
.

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