Collarspace Discussion Forums


Home  Login  Search 

Monolingual English is a disadvantage


View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
 
All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> Monolingual English is a disadvantage Page: [1] 2 3 4 5   next >   >>
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:07:12 PM   
PainSmith


Posts: 53
Joined: 12/30/2007
From: the Republic
Status: offline 		This is my 'hello world' topic, posted here instead of haunting Castle Glampenstein for once.

A couple of years ago, the British Council published a report showing that English had become such a global language that, in some professions at least, everyone speaks it. The way things are going, in a decade or so, almost everyone will speak English in any profession that requires brains. Being an English speaker will be nothing special. Many people will speak another language. Monolingual English people will not. Polyglots can think in the way of their other languages. Monoglots cannot. Thus polyglots will have the advantage. That's why the British Council believe native English speakers need to learn another language. English has become too successful.

There's a good summary here (from Mandarin speakers; I couldn't resist):
http://english.people.com.cn/200602/18/eng20060218_243850.html

You can download the report here:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-research-englishnext.htm

This suggests to me people who want to standardise a country on English alone are people who want to make their country fail. Of course, this could never happen in the UK, it has too many native languages. But might it happen in England itself? Or America?

Comments?
Profile   Post #: 1
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:22:21 PM   
kittinSol


Posts: 16926
Status: offline 		I think you're overall correct.

_____________________________



(in reply to PainSmith)
Profile   Post #: 2
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:25:11 PM   
LadyEllen


Posts: 10931
Joined: 6/30/2006
From: Stourport-England
Status: offline 		wil way doh wunt no furreign spek, olroight?

E

_____________________________

In a test against the leading brand, 9 out of 10 participants couldnt tell the difference. Dumbasses.

(in reply to kittinSol)
Profile   Post #: 3
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:26:50 PM   
kittinSol


Posts: 16926
Status: offline 		Awoight we won't tork foreign then.

_____________________________



(in reply to LadyEllen)
Profile   Post #: 4
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:30:40 PM   
Raechard


Posts: 3513
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: S.E. London U.K.
Status: offline 		I only speak English and morse code.

_____________________________

えへまにんへえや
Nobody wants to listen to the same song over and over again!

(in reply to kittinSol)
Profile   Post #: 5
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:33:05 PM   
Real_Trouble


Posts: 471
Joined: 2/25/2008
Status: offline 		Well, it's a good thing that knowing languages is the only differentiator of skill among humans, or some of the points the British Council is making would be pretty stupid...

oh wait.


_____________________________

Send lawyers, guns, and money.

(in reply to Raechard)
Profile   Post #: 6
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 3:50:56 PM   
LotusSong


Posts: 6334
Joined: 7/2/2006
From: Domme Emeritus
Status: offline 		I'm all in favor of having  common language in which to transact business and/or to unify a nation. It makes sense.  And it should be in the language of those that made the most contribution for the betterment of said nation.  

_____________________________

Life Lesson #1

I'm not your type.
I'm not inflatable.


(in reply to PainSmith)
Profile   Post #: 7
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:10:37 PM   
kittinSol


Posts: 16926
Status: offline 		Huh?

_____________________________



(in reply to LotusSong)
Profile   Post #: 8
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:14:55 PM   
LondonArt


Posts: 101
Joined: 4/14/2008
Status: offline 		Can we count Latin, Esperanto, and Klingon as viable second languages?

(in reply to LotusSong)
Profile   Post #: 9
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:20:00 PM   
LadyEllen


Posts: 10931
Joined: 6/30/2006
From: Stourport-England
Status: offline 		Thats what amazes me about Brits, LondonArt - "oh, I cant learn another language, I'm rubbish at that sort of thing"

One infatuation with some moralising future crap known as Star Trek later, theyre babbling along in Klingon.

E

_____________________________

In a test against the leading brand, 9 out of 10 participants couldnt tell the difference. Dumbasses.

(in reply to LondonArt)
Profile   Post #: 10
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:25:44 PM   
JohnWarren


Posts: 3807
Joined: 3/18/2005
From: Delray Beach, FL
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: LondonArt

Can we count Latin, Esperanto, and Klingon as viable second languages?


I managed to convince my graduate committee (doctorates are expected to know a second language) that my knowledge of COBOL, FORTRAN, LISP, BASIC, SNOBOL and 8086 assembly constituted a more valuable knowledge set than French or something like that.

< Message edited by JohnWarren -- 5/5/2008 4:28:07 PM >

_____________________________

www.lovingdominant.org

(in reply to LondonArt)
Profile   Post #: 11
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:30:38 PM   
GreedyTop


Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		heh. most of the words I know in non-english languages are the kind of words you do NOT repeat in polite company..LOL

(actually, I can say hello, please, and thank you in a few languages..)


_____________________________

polysnortatious
Supreme Goddess of Snark
CHARTER MEMBER: Lance's Fag Hags!
Waiting for my madman in a Blue Box.

(in reply to JohnWarren)
Profile   Post #: 12
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:33:16 PM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline 		Well, there's a lot of truth to that , English (is) the language of business and it is very widely spoken in Western (first world) countries.
You can get along very well in the world speaking English only.
If you speak Romanian only or hundreds of other languages you'll have problems if you leave Romania or your native country.
The only exception I can think of is German as it's used a lot in engineering.

< Message edited by popeye1250 -- 5/5/2008 4:34:42 PM >

_____________________________

"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

(in reply to PainSmith)
Profile   Post #: 13
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 4:41:55 PM   
Racquelle


Posts: 600
Joined: 4/21/2008
Status: offline 		I have long considered it a disadvantage.  I live in Southern California.  I wish I spoke Spanish and Vietnamese.  I have nothing but admiration for those who can speak more than one language, and especially those who can use sign language.  Our ability to conect with one another verbally is a rather important human experience.  I don't think it is WRONG that I speak only English, but speaking more languages certainly would be a talent.

(in reply to popeye1250)
Profile   Post #: 14
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 9:09:47 PM   
Marc2b


Posts: 6660
Joined: 8/7/2006
Status: offline 		I can count to ten in Japanese. 

_____________________________

Do you know what the most awesome thing about being an Atheist is? You're not required to hate anybody!

(in reply to PainSmith)
Profile   Post #: 15
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 9:12:22 PM   
christine1


Posts: 6155
Joined: 12/15/2007
From: i'm headed to HIM...
Status: offline 		oh you think that's neato?  i can count to ten on my fingers and toes, so there!

_____________________________

i am woman! er, godzilla! hear me roar!

http://wavcentral.com/cgi-bin/log/log.cgi?id=2856&sound=/sounds/movies/godzilla/roar.mp3


He's the "boom" overwhelming...

He is my Master, my lover, my best friend my everything.

(in reply to Marc2b)
Profile   Post #: 16
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 9:42:07 PM   
Marc2b


Posts: 6660
Joined: 8/7/2006
Status: offline
quote:

oh you think that's neato?  i can count to ten on my fingers and toes, so there!


You can only count to ten on your fingers and toes?  I sorry to have to tell you this but you're only half way there.  Keep trying!

(cue the theme from Rocky)




_____________________________

Do you know what the most awesome thing about being an Atheist is? You're not required to hate anybody!

(in reply to christine1)
Profile   Post #: 17
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/5/2008 11:08:52 PM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline 		I can count to 21 if I'm naked.

And I can count to 10 in Irish.

_____________________________

"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

(in reply to Marc2b)
Profile   Post #: 18
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/6/2008 1:34:38 AM   
stella41b


Posts: 4258
Joined: 10/16/2007
From: SW London (UK)
Status: offline 		Ah but can u spk mdn Eng? (But can you speak modern English?)

_____________________________

CM's Resident Lyricist
also Facebook
http://stella.baker.tripod.com/
50NZpoints
Q2
Simply Q

(in reply to popeye1250)
Profile   Post #: 19
RE: Monolingual English is a disadvantage - 5/6/2008 4:24:36 AM   
Lucylastic


Posts: 40310
Status: offline 		I speak english, gibberish and typonese...not well, but I get by:)
Lucy

_____________________________

(•_•)
<) )╯SUCH
/ \

\(•_•)
( (> A NASTY
/ \

(•_•)
<) )> WOMAN
/ \

Duchess Of Dissent
Dont Hate Love

(in reply to stella41b)
Profile   Post #: 20
Page:   [1] 2 3 4 5   next >   >>
All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> Monolingual English is a disadvantage Page: [1] 2 3 4 5   next >   >>
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts




Collarchat.com © 2025
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Spam Policy

0.094