The above brackets should be particularly noted. Received a group mail from UKCASA on behalf of Philip Davies a couple of week ago, I only got time to read the recommended column last week, which was entitled "Mind my language? I only wish that I had, mes amis," by Tim Hames, from The Times on March 17, 2008. (see below for the link)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article3564472.ece
It is a great piece. Very interesting and eye-opening! Also the illuminating comments from Brits, Brits overseas (in France, Germany, US, China, Japan, Thailand etc), French (of course, Brits and French are destined twins), Welsh, Luxembourgish etc.; by occupation, frequent-flying businessmen, language teachers, skilled exam candidates (Grade A result but speak none) etc. Here I quote some interesting points from the column and comments.
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From the column:
"at a time of globalisation and interdependency - when the advantages of speaking foreign languages have never been greater..."
"since a language is a key to understanding other cultures, we (Brits) risk becoming more ignorant about them."
From the comments:
"Many English people don't see the cultural insularity resulting from their monolingualism...When you a lingusitic colonialist, as native English and Americans speakers are, you feel superior to other cultures."
"the study of languages not only gives the practical ability to converse in another tongue, but also allows one to think differently."
"Students, especially those of modest means, aren't fools. They know what it takes to get hired. But if language ability ever starts leading to jobs, there will be a lot more of it on display."
"The benefits for an English speaker learning any other modern language are tiny compared with the benefits for anyone else learning English."
"everyone speaks English these days, so why bother." "We are not less capable of communicating with our neighbors, because they are all studying the planetary language, English, as hard as they possibly can."
"It's quite unture that everyone else speaks English." "it is a myth that everyone speaks English." "It is a myth that the whole world speaks English."
"fluency only comes when you live with a language."
"For non-British, larning English is a necessity. They have to learn it because they can't do without it. For native English speakers another language is an academic exercise."
"A German businessman said, 'When I'm selling, I'm willing to speak English. When I'm buying, I expect to be sold to in my own language.'"
"One does not learn langauges in order to speak to foreigners, but to understand what they are saying to each other."
"Foreign langauges are part of a good education, & the lack of them makes us look ignorant, insular & arrogant."
"Had those Brits had a knowledge of the German culture and language, they would have known to be clear in their expression of 'yes' or 'no'."
"my knowledge of German...was a hindrance rather than a help, as the managers doing the recruiting saw me more as a threat than an opportunity, as my German was better than their English."
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Let's face it. Learn the modern lingua franca, English, as hard as you can.
Like one comment, I also discovered the astoundingly high level of spoken English in Sweden when I travelled there in 2006 summer. The Swedish I had a chance to talk to spoke near native English. Almost everything out there were bilingual, Swedish and English. I had no difficult to communicate with the locals at all. However, I was told by a friend in Sweden that when you were unable to utter a word in Swedish supermarkets they would laugh at you at the back. Again in 2006 summer, I travelled to Italy for the first time. When I was out of the coach near the Milan Central Station looking for direction desperately, I tried hard to ask an Italian young man in my very limited Italian with the help of a phrasebook and a map. He ignored me and walked away. I was in despair. Anyway, it was very rewarding and interesting to use my kindergarten Italian in supermarkets in Roma and Fienze, a B & B in Venezia, a grocery store in Napoli, an ice-cream shop in Pisa, and in Basilica Sancti Petri and Musei Vaticani in Status Civitatis Vaticanae. It was wonderful memories!
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Postscript:
Reported by Telegraph on April 9, Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the London Olympic Committee, has described the Chinese officials guarding the Olympic torch as "thugs". He said "They are horrible. They did not speak English ... I think they were thugs."
Yes, it might be true that Coe was allegedly pushed out of the way by those "thugs". Even worse, the "thugs" were unable to utter a word in English, the "only" tool to communicate with Brits, so they were labelled as "thugs". As long as you can speak English, at least, I think, you will not be one of them. God knows whether those "thugs" could speak French, the dying language, to French Police and Olympic Committee member. Or are they not going to South America soon? Please teach them Spanish.
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