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| 51258 |
One European language?
In an expanding European Union, how vital is one common language?
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Language pair: French; English
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| 51357 |
Re:One European language?
Though I'm not European, I think it actually is pretty important to have one official language, so everyone can understand (though the thing I love about Europe is the many languages!!) I think that it would be easier for the EU to have an official language.
~*Toni*~
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Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 51258
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| 51939 |
Re:Re:One European language?
Since May, 1st of 2004, the European Union includes 25 members and it is going to expand, since two countries will join the community in 2007. How so many people coming from countries with different languages can understand each other? Would a common language be required to ease the understanding?
Many European accounts point out that the cost of translating all the European laws into some 20 languages is growing fast, since skilled translator are scarce both for some Easter Europe languages and for regional ones such as catalan. Even a stir was caused by a decision to turn gaelic into a formal language, although only few thousands of people speak it. This spending impedes investing in effective policies such as those dealing with environment or regional development.
Yet, what would be the common language? Either a currently spoken language that would expand to the whole Union. Not only would it raise many protests, but also it would be difficult to find a sound criterion to choose among some 20 languages, three of which are already official and predominant, i.e: English, French, German. Or another solution would be creating a new language. It leads to many obstacles, both to invent it and to teach it. For instance, Esperanto should have become a worldwide language but it has failed.
Such a plan arouses suspicions and fears because a language is more than a way of communicating. It is linked to a culture, with its own literature and history. Such a legacy from the past cannot be wiped out quickly, nor totally, and must not!
Since the European Union's motto is "unified in our diversity", it must abide by it. It may brace up the use of some languages for political meetings, for example, but it cannot discipline members into changing their own language. Such a behaviour would strengthen a euroscepticism already strong due to a loss of identity feeling. Besides, learning foreign languages leads people to broaden their mind, which is a great idea.
To conclude, a common language cannot be imposed so easily and must not. Let politicians choose the language most convenient for political debates, but let people speak the language the have chosen.
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Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 51357
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| 51972 |
Re:Re:Re:One European language?
Wow. Arnaud, you have left me with nothing to say.
And that's really saying something!
:-)
Beautiful analysis. I'm eager to see how things pan out.
Mark S.
Sac, CA USA
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Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 51939
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| 51984 |
Re:One European language?
> Many European accounts point out that the
> cost of translating all the European laws
> into some 20 languages is growing fast,
> since skilled translator are scarce both
> for some Easter Europe languages and for
> regional ones such as catalan.
If there are more than 20 workers per
language, each of them could pick one
foreign language and study it until they
have sufficient reading (and perhaps
listening) capability in it. After that
all participant groups could read all
languages through their in-group
translators, and write in their mother
tongue. Then third-party translators would
be needed very rarely, and the read-only
capability in foreign language could be
gained much faster than full language
skills. It could even be made
a prerequisite for the job.
Puti
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Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 51939
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| 52304 |
Re:One European language?
I don't think one common language is too important. (my opinions have changed :) ! ) Learning different languages is great, it makes you special, adds to who you are. Where I work, I always noticed this man who came in and was always edgy. He had a really nice accent, but I never had the courage to ask where he is from. Well, today I did. He said 20 years ago he moved from Poland, and that he thought he had lost it. He was ashamed. I told him it was a nice accent and that I really liked it. He left with a smile. I have never seen him smile before. Back to the point. Your language is part of who you are. If you want one language, learn them all! There is no limitation to imagination and the curious mind.
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Language pair: English; German
This is a reply to message # 51258
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