5 to go

Only 5 classes left ! Yeah. I need a break !!!

Geskiedenis

Tot en met die negentiende eeu het Afrikaans slegs as spreektaal bestaan, en Nederlands het as die formele en geskrewe taal gedien. Nederlands was veral die taal van die skool en die kerk, en lidmaatskap van die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk het kennis van Nederlands vereis, aangesien net Nederlandse Bybels beskikbaar was.

Die opkoms van koerante het aan mense 'n kans gegee om die eerste bydraes in Afrikaans te publiseer, terwyl lesers vir die eerste keer blootgestel is aan tekste in hulle eie spreektaal. Hierdie vroeë vorm van die Afrikaanse skryftaal is egter nog sterk in die Nederlandse tradisie en is bowendien slegs deur blankes gebruik.

Vir Kaapse Moslems het Afrikaans naas Arabies al in die 19de eeu as 'n volwaardige taal vir die godsdiens gedien, maar dit is meer om praktiese redes gebruik, veral om die Islamse geloof te bevorder. Die Moslemgemeenskap was ook nie by enige formele taalbeweging betrokke nie.

In die 19de eeu doen die blanke Kaapse bevolking steeds baie moeite om Nederlands aan te leer - Nederlands was immers steeds die medium waarin die meeste boeke en ander publikasies geskryf was, en die Nederlandse taal oefen 'n sterk invloed op die ontwikkelende Afrikaanse woordeskat en spelling uit.

Op 14 Augustus 1875 is die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaanders in die Paarl gestig onder leiding van Ds. S.J. du Toit. Hierdie organisasie het hom van meets aan beywer vir die bevordering van Afrikaans en die strewe daarna om die taal stelselmatig uit te bou, onder meer deur middel van 'n Bybelvertaling - 'n taak wat destyds nog nie uitgevoer kon word nie, maar as uiters belangrik vir die ontwikkeling van Afrikaans beskou is.

In ooreenstemming met Wet 8 van 1925, het Afrikaans 'n amptelike taal geword tesame met Engels, en Nederlands as amptelike taal vervang. Die eerste volledige vertaling van die Bybel in Afrikaans is voltooi teen 1933.

Met sy nuwe funksie as amptelike taal het die woordeskat van Afrikaans in die 20ste eeu grootskaals uitgebrei, en intussen het meer as 200 Afrikaanse vakwoordeboeke verskyn. Om die taal, wat oorspronklik 'n eenvoudige kommunikasiemiddel en omgangstaal was, te kon uitbou as 'n medium vir die onderwys, administrasie, literatuur, kunste en wetenskappe, is dikwels na Nederlandse terme teruggegryp om nuwe woorde te vorm. Die verskillende Afrikanse vaktale het intussen ook die internasionale woordeskat, wat op hulle gebiede gebruiklik is, oorgeneem.

Ná 1948 is die besiging van die taal begin gelykstel aan Afrikanernasionalisme en het dit 'n belangrike rol gespeel in die wit minderheidsregering tydens die apartheidsjare. Toe 'n nuwe grondwet in 1996 daargestel is, is Afrikaans behou as een van elf ander amptelike tale in Suid Afrika.

People

Last night I ran into one of my old friends: Schoppenhauer. An old friend because for a long time I had a hard time trying to fully grasp the extent of S's phiosophy. Later on, in my life, I started to understand that what was often perceived as pessisism was more like realism. Quite a shock considering that pragmatism is so often misinterpreted. Yet I always inhabited the other side of the island, the one where optimists and pragmatics live. The underlying reason for this common confusion is I believe, people's own weaknesses. People need to constantly reassure themselves. They need to feel that their choices were right, which often leads to a blindful negation of reality, a self conforting quest for proofs that biases the whole picture. Worse, everything is often sacrificed to the illusion of novelty. While often, this lack of balance initially feels genuine it's just laying the ground for a tougher shock when reality eventually claims its rights back. The conclusion is probably enhancing the strength of pragmatism and moderation. And also as David just said...feel the right thing, don't lie to yourself. :)

Merci David !

"Il faut dire que quand j’ai quitté l’Argentine je n’étais pas connu. Après 98, ça a été un nouveau départ au niveau image. C’est là qu’on me parle du choix. La joie d’avoir gagné 98 a été beaucoup plus forte que de porter l’autre maillot. Après il y a eu 2000. Je dois un respect à la France plus grand qu’un autre coéquipier car j’ai été adopté par la France. Je suis fier de donner cette image. Je me suis adapté. Je suis en équipe nationale depuis 98 et plus passe le temps, plus je suis fier d’avoir accepté le maillot bleu." David Trézéguet. www.football365.fr 02/08/07

Cold !

Brrr... It's cold -2 F / -18 C... way too cold for me. When in addition I think about Fred and Chantal who are in Cancun it just feels even colder. I had class all week-end so it just feels like I never had a week-end. Class what fun though, a lot of finance just the way i like it. One of my favorite the put-call parity, it's like a huge lego, you can replicate all the derivatives you want. Isn't that fun ? I think I didn't really recover from my blitz-trip to Europe. More to come on the subject once I know something... looking good though... we'll see. Other than that I heard from Sophie who is really happy about her new job at Zara (told ya !). That's good news.
I watched half the superbowl last night cause I fell asleep on my sofa. It was good to catch up on sleep, now I feel rested and happy :)

One more screw-up by Segolene Royal

In addition to her continual contradictions, she makes mistake after mistake on international policy affairs. This is a real concern and I don't even want to imagine what would happen if she was elected. Imagine an over-reaction in a crisis situation ? ... Real scary

Ségolène Royal et le Québec
Uploaded by Cosmauxpolis

Scary !!!

www.sarkozy.fr

FRANCE NEEDS YOU !

Nicolas Sarkozy is our hope to make France a key actor of our new century, a promoter of peace and economic development. Nicolas Sarkozy is honest, he loves his country, embraces its diversity, he is modern, he respects our friends and allies like the United States which is a great nation. France needs you, Nicolas Sarkozy needs you. IN APRIL VOTE FOR NICOLAS SARKOZY.

The true face of Royal - Nasty !!!!

SARKOZY FOR PRESIDENT- NICOLAS I'M WITH YOU

SarkoSégo Débat

Dirty Old Town - The Pogues

Steph...

How are you ? I'm not sure I'm following you :)

Snow & the Auto Show

It's a little weird here... everytime it starts sometimes it never last, it's like the snow is undecided, unsure to be willing to stay in Michigan. I guess snow fun is rather in Colorado this year. Keep it there Melissa :)
I spent most of the day in organization management seminar today and I'm glad it's over. We have solved absolutely nothing and are back to stage one. Tomorrow I'll go to the AutoShow for the preview. I'm pretty excited about it, it seems like the Big 3 (which are no longer 3) have finally realized that design matters, and that a Crown Victoria is not a good looking car for most people unless you're over 60 and live in Florida. Add to that quality issues and you have the formula for market death. Ford has now used almost all its PPE as collateral to renew their LT debt. If it fails guess what happens.... Straight to Chapter 11.
I hope not. I have good friends at Ford who try real hard to make a difference and they deserve a bit of support.
Good Luck and Good Night.