Lyzko
26 Aug 2019
Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]
Stumbled across an op-ed piece in today's NYT with the title of the current post, in which the author, one Patricia Dannerman (?) bemoans
the gradual loss of language identity through the seeming 'stranglehold grip' (the author's words) of English across the entire continent.
She feels, and rightly so, I think, that in this world of buzzwords such as "cultural diversity", Europe should start by encouraging her
own rich tapestry of linguistics variety into the business-trade-tourism area once again, rather than blithely insist that English-ONLY
become her sole lingua franca.
If a visitor from abroad is sincerely confounded by being addressed in rapid-fire German at Berlin's major airport, then of course, all
staff should be (and in fact are) bilingual in at least fluent English.
However, to openly discourage non-natives from speaking in French, German, Italian etc. as the open battle cry from the international
economic community is to railroad a learned SECOND language through nearly every communication with a non-native interlocutor,
the author feels is downright foolish, and I would concur.
Curious as to how the above has affected Poland.
Stumbled across an op-ed piece in today's NYT with the title of the current post, in which the author, one Patricia Dannerman (?) bemoans
the gradual loss of language identity through the seeming 'stranglehold grip' (the author's words) of English across the entire continent.
She feels, and rightly so, I think, that in this world of buzzwords such as "cultural diversity", Europe should start by encouraging her
own rich tapestry of linguistics variety into the business-trade-tourism area once again, rather than blithely insist that English-ONLY
become her sole lingua franca.
If a visitor from abroad is sincerely confounded by being addressed in rapid-fire German at Berlin's major airport, then of course, all
staff should be (and in fact are) bilingual in at least fluent English.
However, to openly discourage non-natives from speaking in French, German, Italian etc. as the open battle cry from the international
economic community is to railroad a learned SECOND language through nearly every communication with a non-native interlocutor,
the author feels is downright foolish, and I would concur.
Curious as to how the above has affected Poland.