Talk:Kristang

Untitled

who split up the page into people and language category? i think they're both synonymous with each other and it's so wrong to split these 2 topics up as the structure of the creole language is a function of the history of the people. whoever split the page up into 2, could you be so kind as to fix this mess? - Kevin

The Kristang language and the Kristang people are two distinct concepts, like the Portuguese language and the Portuguese people. The Kristang people could switch to another language but still remain an ethnic group united and distinguished by other criteria (religion, culture, social network, caste or national barriers, etc.). This has happened to many similar communities out there. Conversely, the Kristang people could integrate into a larger society, and thus cease to exist as an ethnic group, while maintaning the language alive for intellectual interest. Or, perhaps, other communities could start speaking the language.
Hence the articles should remain split.
BTW, note that these are enciclopedia articles, not a homepage by and for Kristang people. Both articles are expected to grow to substantial size, e.g. like Venetian language. Many readers will be very interested in the language but not at all in the people, and vice-versa.
BTW, this split is the norm for articles on similar community/language pairs, and any remaining exceptions should be split too.
All the best, Jorge Stolfi 06:51, 27 January 2006 (UTC)