Nationalists give paramount importance to a common language. It's the most important component of a common culture and a common identity.
No nationalist movement worth its salt forgets to prioritise teaching a common language , promoting it, mythologising it and protecting it politically.
Some modern nationalisms have even had to reinvent and revive mostly extinct languages and expand their vocabulary to be used in the modern world. The imposition of Hebrew in Israel, to the detriment of living jewish languages like Ladino (sephardic) and Yiddish, is a very clear example.
Language connects us to the literature and culture of our past. It allows for multi-generational memory. It creates a shared mentality.
Just watch the intensity with which separatist movements fight for their language everywhere, from Flanders to Corsica, from Xinjiang to Quebec.
Even in extremely peaceful and stable countries like Switzerland, the german, french, italian, romansch and schwyzerdütsch speakers make sure to defend their own language from encroachment by others and educate their children in their own language.
If you are running even a tiny urban gang, you develop your own slang to enhance loyalty and a sense of belonging to an in-group.
If you are running a huge empire, a common tongue is absolutely necessary. Ask Alexander the Great, the Romans, the Spanish, the British, the French... the more diverse and international your empire, the more necessary a common tongue is for administration, politics and just basic coordination.
Which is why I cannot possibly understand that an institution like the Catholic Church, that had a common, international, 2000 year old language, that was used across the world and was not only a living language, but also a direct connection to religious and secular wisdom going back to before the Roman Empire... would voluntarily give it up. Not only was it a distinctive sign of identity that united catholics from the Philippines to Scotland, but it also allowed direct access to some of the earliest translations of the Gospel (from koine greek to latin).
Can you imagine muslims abandoning the Quran in Arab? Can you imagine Hebrews deciding that the Torah is better read in English?
Not even the chinese communists during Mao's cultural revolution decided to abandon Han chinese. In fact they imposed it ever more harshly on minorities.
But you have preserved the original Lingua Franca, the language in which most of your scholars, scientists and saints have written... and decide to just abandon it?
It's either a giant unforced error... or its enemy action.
No nationalist movement worth its salt forgets to prioritise teaching a common language , promoting it, mythologising it and protecting it politically.
Some modern nationalisms have even had to reinvent and revive mostly extinct languages and expand their vocabulary to be used in the modern world. The imposition of Hebrew in Israel, to the detriment of living jewish languages like Ladino (sephardic) and Yiddish, is a very clear example.
Language connects us to the literature and culture of our past. It allows for multi-generational memory. It creates a shared mentality.
Just watch the intensity with which separatist movements fight for their language everywhere, from Flanders to Corsica, from Xinjiang to Quebec.
Even in extremely peaceful and stable countries like Switzerland, the german, french, italian, romansch and schwyzerdütsch speakers make sure to defend their own language from encroachment by others and educate their children in their own language.
If you are running even a tiny urban gang, you develop your own slang to enhance loyalty and a sense of belonging to an in-group.
If you are running a huge empire, a common tongue is absolutely necessary. Ask Alexander the Great, the Romans, the Spanish, the British, the French... the more diverse and international your empire, the more necessary a common tongue is for administration, politics and just basic coordination.
Which is why I cannot possibly understand that an institution like the Catholic Church, that had a common, international, 2000 year old language, that was used across the world and was not only a living language, but also a direct connection to religious and secular wisdom going back to before the Roman Empire... would voluntarily give it up. Not only was it a distinctive sign of identity that united catholics from the Philippines to Scotland, but it also allowed direct access to some of the earliest translations of the Gospel (from koine greek to latin).
Can you imagine muslims abandoning the Quran in Arab? Can you imagine Hebrews deciding that the Torah is better read in English?
Not even the chinese communists during Mao's cultural revolution decided to abandon Han chinese. In fact they imposed it ever more harshly on minorities.
But you have preserved the original Lingua Franca, the language in which most of your scholars, scientists and saints have written... and decide to just abandon it?
It's either a giant unforced error... or its enemy action.
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