From: hyper@ecf.toronto.edu (Hypersonic CFD Combust Diag)
Subject: Re: AlpaLeb V 1.0
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 01:39:02 GMT

In article <97439@bu.edu> samer@bass.bu.edu (Samer Faraj) writes:
>In article <NMOUAWAD.92Sep28153719@math.waterloo.edu> nmouawad@waterloo.edu (Naji Mouawad) writes:
>>
>>                          AlphaLeb
>>
>>by Bassem Medawar, Naji Mouawad, Elie Wardini.
>>

I was in the process of posting an article i have written about the 
subject of AlphaLeb when I read the posting of Samer Faraj.  I did
find that they both shared the same theme and many of the same 
points.  And as a result, I found that an endorsement and 
a show of support to the points conveyed in that article will 
carry with them the same message.  

Below I have reposted Samer's article, since I deemed it necessary,
and especially after reading some of the responses to his posting,
to make it known that the points brought up by Samer are partaken
by other netters.
 
The most troubling aspect of it are the different justifications
used when it came to the distinction between languages
and dialects. As well as, the fact that Latinization was 
introduced to the "lebanese language" as opposed to what 
we otherwise would have called the Arabic alphabet (Though they are one
and the same, but just the mere introduction of it as a way to 
write "Lebanese" has its own indications). Careful reading 
of the previous postings of some of the authors of AlphaLeb and the 
articles that followed it would certainly all the more sustain the 
impressions perceived and related in the message below. 

>
>This proposal to develop a representation of the "Lebanese mother
>tongue" represents a new attempt in the old political ploy to separate
>Lebanon from its Arab surrounding.  Several proposals of the same
>nature have been championed by Lebanese isolationists over the last
>half century.  Under the guise of using the "modern" ascii
>representation, the proposal is just one more attempt to change 
>the mindset of Lebanese by changing their alphabet to the supposedly 
>superior Latin alphabet.
>
>What is revolting about the ploy is that there are hundreds of
>non-ascii representable languages in the world, and none seem to be
>willing to destroy the richness of their cultural heritage for the 
>sake of ascii compatibility.  Actually, a new version of ascii with
>16 bit representation is being developed so most languages of the 
>world can be represented, not just the latin alphabet.
>
>Finally, it is deceitful to hide behind the sanctity of the Arabic
>language (you know, ISLAM..) and its inability to reform.  In most
>Arab countries, the  debate has been settled a long time ago, with
>all science and math education taking place in a foreign language
>like English.  Arabic remains as the language of law, litterature,
>culture, and history.
>
>This is my first posting to this newsgroup and all I can see is a 
>bunch of politically frustrated exiles, who nothing more in common
>than anti-Syrian jokes or "I am more Lebanese than thou" attitude.
>The rebuilding of Lebanon will not take place overseas by a bunch
>of internet users frozen in the politics of the past, it is actually
>happening right now in Lebanon, right or wrong, for good or for worse,
>by people doing their best to survive after 17 years of war.  If the 
>Lebanon that is being build is not to our liking, lets talk about
>how to change it by bringing in new ideas and proposals that unite
>us rather than repackaging the old slogans that separate us.
>
>Samer
>

Samir

Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon