Hi Anja, Sorry for the slow reply. I think that Ngugi's book would be the longest book composed in an African language. The Bible of course has been translated into many languages (more so than scriptures of other faiths) and is longer, but still a translation.
In any event, it is a monumental work and one that I hope serves as encouragement to other writers. Re the copyright issue there is an exemption for "fair use." Although there may be different opinions of exactly what consititutes "fair use," it is generally taken to mean educational and not-for-profit purposes. If I printed them in a newsletter that I sold, that would not be fair use. If I put them on a personal weblog that I also use to look for work or promote a business, that would probably not be fair use. If I were to start a website, even a non-profit one, and put everything, or lots and lots of material on it from another site like AllAfrica.com or New York Times, then that would not be fair use. But in this case I believe that reposting selected articles with full references definitely is fair use. In the case of what I have reposted to this and some other lists, you will notice that I always try to give full credit and web URLs for each case. I will probably also begin using a disclaimer that a friend puts at the end of news items reposted to the Togo-L list, just to be clear. That's only one of many lists where one will see some reposted articles, but the only one where I've noted this disclaimer. I also believe that there are several advantages in reposting these articles for everyone involved: 1) Readers of the list discover & learn things they would not have otherwise. 2) News and opinions that might not get widely read are seen by more people than would have known about them otherwise. 3) The newspapers and news agencies get better known. 4) The writers and reporters get get better known. 5) The websites on which the material first appeared get more visits. Anyway, I will append the text on my next repostings. I haven't been doing as much lately but hope to find more time soon. All the best! Don --- In AfricanLanguages@yahoogroups.com, "Anja Choon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Ngugi wa Thiong'o has published a new book in Gikuyu. It is suppossed to be > the longest book written in an African language so far (with the exception > of the Bible). > > [see "Ngugi's Latest Literary Piece Wins International Acclaim" by Evan > Mwangi at http://allafrica.com/stories/200609110446.html for more details] > > > > Don, you always seem to post full articles. Could you tell my why you don't > worry about copyright? I'm sure you have some writing that tells you that it > is ok; where can I find it? > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
