Half of Bulgaria's First Graders Have Other Mother Tongue

[hajduk]

As many as 48% of the Bulgarian first graders do not have Bulgarian as their mother tongue, the country's Educational Minister, Sergey Ignatov claimed on Monday.

The percentage will increase the next year, Ignatov added. He was speaking at a conference dedicated to the protection of the cultural and historical heritage.

"Some may say this is a worrying trend, but this is not exactly true. Even though these pupils do not have Bulgarian as their mother tongue, they are all Bulgarian citizens. That is why the cultural and historical heritage is so important as a tool for developing the Bulgarian and the European identity of our citizens," the Educational Minister stated.

"Bulgaria is a EU member state, and that is why extraordinary efforts must be put into preserving the national identity of those who live here as Bulgarian citizens," according to Ignatov.

The Minister of Education pointed out that Bulgaria should use its multi-ethnic and multicultural environment to contribute to Europe's overall cultural development.

In a much disputed prediction, the Center for Demographic Policy in Sofia stated in November that by 2050, ethnic Bulgarians would have become a minority in their own country declining to just 800 000 in 2050. while there will be 3.5 million Roma and 1.2 million ethnic Turks in the country.
http://novinite.com/view_news.php?id=124736

[The Ripper]

Do the Roma of the Balkan region speak their own language?

[hajduk]

Yes. They have their own language

[Monolith]

As many as 48% of the Bulgarian first graders do not have Bulgarian as their mother tongue
How's that possible?


"Some may say this is a worrying trend, but this is not exactly true. Even though these pupils do not have Bulgarian as their mother tongue, they are all Bulgarian citizens.
Yay. I'm sure Bulgarians are overjoyed to see themselves equated with their Gypsy neighbors. After all, they are all Bulgarian citizens.

Do the Roma of the Balkan region speak their own language?
I believe they speak several Romani languages.

[The Ripper]

I know there are Romani languages but I've never heard Finnish gypsies use it, perhaps with the exception of individual words. Just wondering. ;)

[Electronic God-Man]

So this is Gypsies we are speaking of? Not new immigrants?

I'm surprised that there are so many Gypsies...

[Lurker]

How many of those 52% are Gypsyes and Hungarians?

[Monolith]

I know there are Romani languages but I've never heard Finnish gypsies use it, perhaps with the exception of individual words. Just wondering. ;)
I suppose they have replaced their original language with Finnish? Here in Croatia Gypsies are mostly immigrants from parts of the Balkans unknown to me and they usually speak some weird form of Serbian when addressing locals, although they also speak their own language among themselves. There are also Catholic Gypsies here, but I doubt they speak their language anymore.

So this is Gypsies we are speaking of? Not new immigrants?
I would guess so. Bulgaria does not attract many immigrants because it's poor. All SE European are, except for maybe for Greece, but they're broke.

[The Ripper]

I suppose they have replaced their original language with Finnish? Here in Croatia Gypsies are mostly immigrants from parts of the Balkans unknown to me and they usually speak some weird form of Serbian when addressing locals, although they also speak their own language among themselves. There are also Catholic Gypsies here, but I doubt they speak their language anymore.

Well yes, they speak Finnish whenever I've heard them speak. I just read at a Finnish site about Gypsies that the older generation still speaks it, and that they don't want to teach it to "outsiders".


I would guess so. Bulgaria does not attract many immigrants because it's poor. All SE European are, except for maybe for Greece, but they're broke.

Greece is more of a gateway than a destination, or at least it is intended that way by would-be immigrants.

[Guapo]

Maybe the other "mother tongue" is Macedonian?