12-09-2004, 02:06 PM | #11 |
Banned User
Join Date: May 21, 2004
Location: Hiram\'s lap
Age: 55
Posts: 334
|
I find languages other than English to be very beautiful.
I took German for three years and still try to speak/write/read it as much as possible to keep up with it. I think Asian languages are musical. I love the sound of Russian, etc. I think French is berry nize. And, though it looks absolutely NOTHING like what it sounds, I'm enamored of Celtic/Gaelic languages. I've listened to Nordic language being spoken and want to learn that, too. I think it would, on one hand, be more convenient if every person in the world spoke one language, but feel, on the other, it would be a terrible tragedy to lose individuality by completely eradicating other languages. I think it also reflects a horrible "laziness" that we should feel the whole world needs to learn English instead of English speaking nations learning other languages. |
12-09-2004, 02:22 PM | #12 |
Takhisis Follower
Join Date: April 30, 2001
Location: szép Magyarország (well not right now)
Posts: 5,089
|
It's not a bad thing, as long as languages don't die out - that's what makes the world interesting - the diversity. It would be extremely boring (and boredom leads to frustration) if everyone just spoke the same language.
Just wondering, why and how is German set to expand, esp. in Asia???? As for there being a backlash against the spread of english and a reassertion of national languages - damn right! If hungarians and how they feel about their national language is anything to go by, all other countries would rather be destroyed than have their own language die out. Heh, it's funny to see how people who move to Hungary, often try and get by just with english or german - some manage, but in the end you get them all learning - I've seen blacks, chinese, arabs, all speaking hungarian and it is pretty funny and wierd, but cool. One thing a global language is very good for, is research - if everyone published in different languages, then the rate of progress would be crap! People would just end up reinventing the wheel, being unaware that what they're doing has already been done in another country, and the sharing of ideas would be much less. [ 12-09-2004, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: Vaskez ]
__________________
Too set in his ways to ever relate If he could set that aside, there'd be heaven to pay But weathered and aged, time swept him to grave Love conquers all? Damn, I'd say that area's gray |
12-09-2004, 03:25 PM | #13 |
Galvatron
Join Date: January 10, 2002
Location: Upstate NY
Age: 56
Posts: 2,109
|
While it's probably true that a lot of people will learn English as a second or third language... I don't think we'll see other languages die out because of it.
I'd guess that within the next 5 to 10 years we'll start seeing speech recognition and translation technology that will allow people to speak their own language and be understood by someone speaking a different one. It will eliminate the current driver that's pushing the world towards English as a common language... just don't let your batteries go dead! [img]smile.gif[/img] |
12-09-2004, 03:55 PM | #14 | |
Iron Throne Cult
|
Quote:
Schools I think need to be more consistent with teaching other languages and there needs to be more congruency between lower and upper schooling so that kids learn one other language well rather than pointless spatterings of a number of different languages. The problem in English-speaking countries is, though, there isn't a clear obvious second language to teach, so schools end up offering a number of different languages, or the language taught at primary school is not the same as the one taught at high school. In non-English speaking countries, there is a much more clear choice for a second language.
__________________
|
|
12-09-2004, 04:10 PM | #15 |
Zhentarim Guard
Join Date: October 11, 2004
Location: England
Posts: 328
|
I'm in Year 10, which is the first year of the two year GCSE course. I was already learning German but I wanted to take up a second language (French) for GCSE. I was at first told I wouldn't be able to do a second language. Eventually, they agreed that I could, however, I only have one lesson a week, instead of three. Not only this, but I have to have it in addition to my other GCSE choices and the one lesson is after school.
It seems to me, that if we are to get more children to learn foreign languages, schools should put more effort into encouraging them. [ 12-09-2004, 04:11 PM: Message edited by: Blunderbuss ] |
12-09-2004, 04:14 PM | #16 | |
Emerald Dragon
Join Date: January 3, 2002
Location: From Slovenia, in Sweden
Age: 42
Posts: 931
|
Quote:
__________________
At one time or another there will be a choice: you or the wall. (J. Winterson) |
|
12-09-2004, 04:16 PM | #17 |
Emerald Dragon
Join Date: December 10, 2003
Location: UK
Age: 40
Posts: 961
|
Maybe an asian language for english school's would be interesting, that or go back to teaching latin..
It'd have to be a unified effort on the part of school's in any given country though, and seen to be done correctly. The french teacher (who was also the science teacher, and a good one too) at my school knew very little french.. He had a phonetic phrase book which he used to give us some basics but beyond that nothing.. Linguistic studys should be like any other, not ignored and put on the back burner like they are so often.. Lastly, there is already at least one profession which you have to learn english for.
__________________
-Jenn |
12-09-2004, 04:17 PM | #18 | |
Banned User
Join Date: May 21, 2004
Location: Hiram\'s lap
Age: 55
Posts: 334
|
Quote:
I know when I was in High School, you were only "required" to take one year of one language. I purposefully completed courses ahead of schedule each year just so I'd have "room" to take German for year 2 and 3. I also took Spanish in 7th grade because I *wanted* to. I got a special dispensation for it from the school because I was BORED in my other classes, LOL. But that was also only because I had a very high GPA. I don't think someone with an average GPA would ever be given an opportunity to learn another language, but it should be allowed. Life is more than advanced mathematics and history. It's also culture which includes arts and languages. [img]smile.gif[/img] |
|
12-09-2004, 04:24 PM | #19 | |
Iron Throne Cult
|
Quote:
__________________
|
|
12-10-2004, 05:01 AM | #20 | |
Dracolisk
Join Date: November 1, 2002
Location: Australia ..... G\'day!
Posts: 6,123
|
Quote:
As posted by Grojlach "On a similar note, linguists predict that by the end of this century, 75 to 90 percent of the 5000 current languages will have died out." I have heard this before and I believe many of those languages are Aboriginal and Papua New Guinean languages. This really makes me sad, If it was my culture I would be angry about it. Is it a form of imperial arrogance? Do members of this forum get annoyed that it is English based or so many films and TV and music for that matter, or just accept it as given without a second thought?
__________________
fossils - natures way of laughing at creationists for over 3 billion years |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
German finance minister: EU economy cannot catch US by 2010 | Dreamer128 | General Discussion | 2 | 09-10-2004 05:29 PM |
Tony Blair - leader of the english speaking world | Donut | General Discussion | 42 | 08-08-2003 05:31 AM |
Vancouver gets the Winter Olympics 2010! | WillowIX | General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) | 16 | 07-04-2003 05:53 AM |
Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympics | Ryanamur | General Discussion | 1 | 07-02-2003 01:25 PM |
Fox Speak | Donut | General Discussion | 24 | 04-27-2003 08:11 PM |