Sunday, June 15, 2008

Hebrew And Sanskrit

In both cases, it brings a reaction from Muslims:

Knesset Hawks Move To Strip Arabic of Official Status in Israel
Israeli Arab Lawmaker: Effort Will Harm Minority’s Ties to the State

Actually, I'm not so crazy about the idea--as I commented here.

Meanwhile...

Summer Camps Revive India's Ancient Sanskrit
Effort Is Part of Bitter Debate Over the Role of Hindu Language in a Diverse Society

And of course, when reviving religious and cultural pride is a threat to a 'diverse' society

Their endeavors are viewed with suspicion by many scholars here as part of an increasingly acrimonious debate over the role of Sanskrit in schools and society. The scholars warn against exploiting Indians' reverence for Sanskrit to promote the supremacy of Hindu thought in a country that, while predominantly Hindu, is also home to a large Muslim population and other religious minorities.

I wish them luck--it's one thing to relegate another language to secondary status; it is another to try to revive your ancient language.

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