Should minority languages be exterminated?

Thor   Wed May 12, 2010 8:49 pm GMT
"Historically Brussels-Bruocsela-Broekzele is a Flemish town."

Yes, and London, Köln or Manchester are roman foundations. Must they return to italian hands ?

"frenchification of Flemish territories is not a reason for Flemish to abandon them ."

Which reason would convaince each party ? The theories about origins or "races" are no longer in fashion since the last war, you know...
Franco   Wed May 12, 2010 9:11 pm GMT
Spanish autonomous communities are more efficient than French departments. In fact Catalonia is richer than Languedoc-Roussillon in terms of GDP per capita.
Thor   Wed May 12, 2010 9:25 pm GMT
Congratulations. You have found the poorest region of France. Maybe does it come from spanish proximity...

To stay serious, do you really want me to post the map of structural founds ? Or would you be able to just say : thank you, european integration...

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/1-18022010-AP/FR/1-18022010-AP-FR.PDF
Franco   Wed May 12, 2010 9:35 pm GMT
One must compare neighbor regions like Catalonia and Languedoc-Roussillon, or do you pretend comparing Ille-de-France and Catalonia? Your source is in French, so I won't read it.
Thor   Wed May 12, 2010 9:59 pm GMT
Yes, it's a chance for you. One of the richest regions of Spain is next to the poorest region of France. A bit like if you compare Lorraine and belgian Hainaut.

You talk about neighbor regions ? Is Provence close enough, or do you consider it like a far north-easterner region ?

Catalogne : 27 500/inh.
Provence : 28 000 / inh.

In fact, there is no autonomous region in metropolitan France. This is one of the reasons to the low differences of level of life, compared to Spain or Italy. If you look p 3 to 7, you won't need french. And you will see that France is an homogenous country (from 23 to 30 - without Ile de France which is a urban region) vs 16 to 30 in Spain.
And don't forget : the poorest regions of France don't receive ANY structural found.
Mariano   Wed May 12, 2010 10:00 pm GMT
<< thank you, european integration >>

For what?
For having prices increased as much as 3 times for the same product, whereas salaries have just raised by 10%?

The only beneficiaries of the European Union are the banks and the big multinationals, like Carrefour, etc.

90% of people in Spain are just struggling to survive, many of them losing their homes (1.500 a day) and you want them to thank you ???

You have some nerve, you bloody arrogant frog
Franco   Wed May 12, 2010 10:03 pm GMT
<<Yes, it's a chance for you. One of the richest regions of Spain is next to the poorest region of France.
>>

Which proves that if Roussillon was part of Spain nowadays it would be as rich as Catalonia and richer than it is nowadays. Plus they would still speak Catalan and Spanish (a closer language to Catalan) and not only French .

Also Spanish Basque Country is richer than Aquitaine. 30 000 vs 26 000. Once again Basse Navarre, once part of Spain would be better as a Spanish region.
Thor   Wed May 12, 2010 10:24 pm GMT
"<< thank you, european integration >>

For what? "

For being able to post on internet and having on the whole a european level of life. Or do you want to trade yours with the the north africans one who knock to the door, like spanish in the 70's ?

"Which proves that if Roussillon was part of Spain nowadays it would be as rich as Catalonia and richer than it is nowadays."

Like you say, "would".
I didn't make researches on economic development of northern regions of Spain (and it would be too short this evening), but it seems that touristic economy has a rule in this. Without european integration, i'm not sure that those regions would be so rich. Otherwise, how do you explain that those regions were regions of departures for emigration like the others ? It would have no sense if they would have been always rich. If they've become as rich as Bayern or Alsace, the reason is probably a recent one, in a european context.

"Plus they would still speak Catalan and Spanish (a closer language to Catalan) and not only French ."

And where would be the gain ? Speaking catalan should bring money ?
Franco   Wed May 12, 2010 10:31 pm GMT
<<Without european integration, i'm not sure that those regions would be so rich.
>>

Apparently Roussillon can't keep up to Catalan standards despite being part of European Union and France. Now that you talk about European funds, Roussillon as a poor region probably receives more money from Brussels than Catalonia.

<<And where would be the gain ? Speaking catalan should bring money ? >>

No, only speaking English gives money, so you French should stop speaking French.
Català   Wed May 12, 2010 10:34 pm GMT
Visca Catalunya lliure!
Corsican   Wed May 12, 2010 10:38 pm GMT
Freedom for Corsica! Territories usurped by France like Corsica are intentionally kept poor so they are easier to control from Paris.
Català   Wed May 12, 2010 10:40 pm GMT
Long live Catalonia and Corsica!
Thor   Wed May 12, 2010 10:46 pm GMT
"Apparently Roussillon can't keep up to Catalan standards despite being part of European Union and France."

First, the difference comes from a urban area of 4-5 M.inh. in Catalogne. Cities are always richer than rural areas, it is the same schema in anywhere else in Europe (just look at Germany).
Second, why would have all those northern spanish people emigrated to France or Switzerland, if Northern Spain was rich by its own ?

"Now that you talk about European funds, Roussillon as a poor region probably receives more money from Brussels than Catalonia."

Surprising. It would be better with an official source.

"No, only speaking English gives money, so you French should stop speaking French."

160 pages in spanish ! How a lost of time...
Thor   Wed May 12, 2010 10:49 pm GMT
I like chicken.
Franco   Wed May 12, 2010 10:50 pm GMT
Perpignan was the second largest city in Catalonia before the annexion by the French. Who knows, maybe if Roussillon was Spanish Perpignan would be even bigger than Catalonia is nowadays. One thing is for sure, it would be bigger than it is nowadays, because it has been reduced to an insignificant village of 80 000 inhabitants. Anyways Marseille, a big city, is also poorer than Barcelona.