> CARDIFF, Wales, May 8 (UPI) -- Telephone operators in Wales are
>> being told not to greet callers in the country's native tongue
>> because the language may damage vocal chords."
>> How bad does your language have to be that merely speaking it can
>> damage your vocal chords?
> I am a linguist, and I can assure you that I've never heard of a
> language damaging vocal cords! Such a language would immediately
> change into one that doesn't, since children of each generation
> learn only what they can hear.
The UPI story might charitably be referred to as hogwash. I speak Welsh (probably the only kid on my block who does), and my vocal cords are good as new!
Journalistic hoax?
More likely the old-fashioned English prejudice against things Welsh. The French are, or used to be, even worse where the almost-identical Breton language was concerned.
Dale Neiburg ** NPR Satellite Operations ** 202-513-2640
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."
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