Feb 20 2011: Let's get back to what we started talking on, the proliferation of English. The language has come to mean access, a greater outreach and even inclusion. At least in my own country India, i find English to have become a class divide as well - those who can speak English ('cause they had the means to an English education) and those who can't ('cause they didn't). Its an essential part of the phenomenon of going global to trade your wares where all locals strive to be 'in' into the crowd.
I do not agree with the counter that it doesn't effect native languages, it does. Marilia beautifully brought out what English we make of English. The converse is also true, with what English makes of the native languages, but that is part of the evolution of a language.
What is alarming however, is that there is a class of people whose first language is not English, but who start their children on English rather than the indigenous tongues, so that these kids whimper, squabble and even fib in, what else, but English. Its business taking over every other value, with nuances of a language and languages in general losing out.
With languages dying out by the day, mania for a 'super language' is a dangerous trend.
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A reply on Talk: Jay Walker on the world's English mania
I do not agree with the counter that it doesn't effect native languages, it does. Marilia beautifully brought out what English we make of English. The converse is also true, with what English makes of the native languages, but that is part of the evolution of a language.
What is alarming however, is that there is a class of people whose first language is not English, but who start their children on English rather than the indigenous tongues, so that these kids whimper, squabble and even fib in, what else, but English. Its business taking over every other value, with nuances of a language and languages in general losing out.
With languages dying out by the day, mania for a 'super language' is a dangerous trend.