January 11, 2008 at 9:16 am
Ram,
English was the language that the people read and wrote that came from England in an effort to seek religious freedom from the Church of England. It has been the dominant language of the United States ever since.
Technically America has no official language. At the federal level, I believe that all written communication must be in English. All proposed new laws created in the Senate and House of Representatives, for example, are in English. BUT, at the state, county, and city levels of government, a person can take their drivers license exam in several different languages, depending on the state you reside in.
America has the advantages and disadvantages of being the global "melting pot", as well as being an ever-changing democratically run democracy.
In the Western World, America drives the majority of the financial markets as well as technology, medicine, entertainment, etc. If any of those factors change, then a new language/culture will begin to take it's place.
France was a very dominant presence until roughly the 1700's, and as a result French influence over the rest of the world has slowly declined.
Languages and cultures fascinate me on a personal level, and I always look forward to traveling to another country.
These are my perceptions and observations. What are yours?
"Key"
MCITP: DBA, MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, OCP
January 12, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Ram
I understand your point. My own mother language is Chinese. However if I live in US and I have respect this country official language so I have to speak English. If I live in your country, I have to learn your language too.
Many western people go to China to work and they learn to speak Chinese. So depending on where you live, you have to respect that country's culture and use that country language.
January 13, 2008 at 11:32 am
Nobody is disrecting anybody here. You live in China or US or India wherever you want to. Even, I live in the US too. English is not my first language. I can write in English only to some extent and as much as I can. Now is the time for me to invest on technology than English.
The bottomline is that I can write in English that way I was taught. It's like telephone since both ends must have good instruments to talk each other.
-- Ram
January 13, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I think you mean "no one is disrespecting"
That's a good example of where mis-communications occur. It is important to try and learn from your mistakes when you're working in another language to try and prevent problems.
English does tend to dominate business around the world because of the size of America's market. It's not everywhere, but it is predominant. So it can help to know English, at least in business.
I was born and have grown up in the US and while I'm very comfortable in English, I don't think it's the best language or that it's superior. It's just widely used. More nad more as I try to teach my kids about English, I think it's a huge mess of a language.
January 14, 2008 at 9:49 am
Again, it's a typing error.
I don't agree that English is a predominant. Oflate, I don't prefer to speak in English except whenever I am in another country. I want my kids to learn my language first and then learn English if possible.
I have high respects for English. Overall, English is a language where each and every word were borrowed from other languages.
-- Ram
January 14, 2008 at 10:06 am
I'm not saying English is good or bad. It is predominant. Air controllers, bankers, import/export officials, government officials, all around the world, in most countries, can speak English along with their native language. It's not necessarily good, but it's out there.
Teach your kids their native language first, and I'm not advocating that they should learn English, but it is widely used around the world as a second language. It's not everywhere, but it's in lots of places.
January 15, 2008 at 2:44 am
Ram (1/14/2008)
I don't agree that English is a predominant.
I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make, Ram, but English most certainly is predominant in certain situations, and Steve has pointed out a few. Perhaps the most important of these is that it has been accepted globally as the language of business. As a parallel, TCPIP has been accepted as the protocol for large networks. You may have very good reasons for using a different protocol on your local network, and, if so, go for it. You could get the protocol of your choice to work on some parts of the Internet, but you're creating extra effort, limiting your audience and putting yourself at a disadvantage. Ditto with English in an international business scenario. Ditto with Italian for musical terms. Ditto with Latin for biological classification.
The point has been made that if you don't pay attention to grammar, you can't be sure if what you said is what you meant to say. I'd agree with that, although I'd also say you run the same risk even if you speak perfect English, albeit at a lesser level. Communication is a two-way process (transmission, cross-check, acknowledgement), so you're right that you can get by with significant limitations with your language skills and still make yourself understood. However, I'd also point out the obvious - that the worse your language skills, the more effort it takes on the listener's part to participate, so the less keen people will be to talk with you.
Oflate, I don't prefer to speak in English except whenever I am in another country. I want my kids to learn my language first and then learn English if possible.
Agree 100%. It's efficient, effective and maintains an aspect of one's local culture.
I have high respects for English. Overall, English is a language where each and every word were borrowed from other languages.
-- Ram
And that's a significant part of its success. English doesn't belong to the English any more. It truly is an International language. Inputs and amendments from all nationalities are now just as valid as any from England. I am English, and my take is that we've lost "our" language, but the world in general has gained a workable tool that now can be (and is being) honed for the job everyone needs it to do.
Semper in excretia, suus solum profundum variat
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