Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 07:59:08 -0700
From: "Marlene R. Atleo" <maratleo-AT-island.net>
Subject: Re: Language, French and the Netherlands


Dear Eric,
I haven't seen Maryanne's post on the list....is it possible it was a
private post to you and not public to the list...so I don't know what she
is saying....but your thread began...whose empire writes back, in what
language; The British Enpire writes back; and Language, French and the
Netherlands....

Instead of prompting us "possibly up to 600 postcolonialists on this list"
to say what you are thinking why not give us an example of what you are
about and perhaps we can enter into a discussion with
you....answers?....probably only discussion.....

Many of us don't rely totally on English-language texts but the discussion
is in English because it is the common medium of exchange on this
list...there are representative perspectives from other languages but they
are expressed in English...English is the medium of exchange...the "gold
standard" so to speak that has an enormous discount rate from the language
currency of non-native English speakers....English as a first language
speakers have more than "time"..to engage in other
speculations...especially about prompting insight into how non-english as
first language speakers REALLY see things...since they cannot REALLY
express themselves in English...as well as the English can perhaps express
English ideas in Dutch or Flemish or German.......or how other colonialisms
work beyond "we need civilize the world with democracy and
christianity"...especially now that our "postcolonial democracies" take
colonialism to new heights....and of course its not just literature that is
discussed.....

Clearly the problem you outline is one with which you are engaged and can
outline conceptually.....what are you asking...saying...that writings
internal to the colonized needs to be  translated so that the ex-colonizers
can get a better idea of the nature of the damage inflicted...or does it go
beyond that...are you saying that the literature of colonized peoples about
colonialism needs to be in their own language....or the lack of literature
about colonialism in translation hinders the postcolonial project for the
colonizer because to de-colonize they need to know how the colonized REALLY
think since the siamese twin (Memmi) nature of "colonial think" requires it
or ????????

I would imagine that many students and academics on this list are just
finishing up their winter/spring terms, having an easter break , and taking
a break from the list....

Marlene


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