Will English take over the whole world?

[Gerryw80]

It already has actually, and its good, atleast it forms uniformity amongst people plus it helps alleviate the communication barriers around the globe

[Ridgley]

Its still pisses off the French though as they feel it should be French.

[Jeremy]

Gerryw80 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It already has actually

Try going to China or Japan!

[Michael Palaeologus]

English is spoken by the uSA by what is the biggest (still) economy in the world and is also culturally dominant through TV and film. It is also the language of computing, aviation and international commerce.

English is a common language spoken across India, a rapidly growing economic presence.

It is a real dogs breakfast of a language. It shamelessly and joyously takes and adopts new ways of communicating, new words, new syntax. It is a little bit german, a little bit french, a little scandinavian, a little bit indian, a little bit latin, ad nauseum.

Indian english is different from American english which is different from Scottish english and so on and on. People can use english in their own way and do dont feel that the adoption of english makes them a victim of linguistic imperialism.

The strength of english is that it is not English.

[baroldmc]

Still doesn't explain why it's GREAT Britain, does it?

[Loz]

I don't think you quite understand the meaning of the word 'great' in that context. Because GREAT Britain would be crap compared to the GREATER London area. And all of those would be rubbish compared with Best, Texas.

[Huguenot]

baroldmc, I've already explained why it's Great Britain ad nauseam...

Some of the original kingdoms that historically included these islands also included large tracts of North West France - now known as Brittany.

'Great' Britain was used to differentiate what is now England/Scotland/Wales from 'Lesser' Britain in what is now France.

It has nothing to do with being powerful.

[DulwichFox]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think it would be a great thing, mainly because

> I speak English.

I think we should only have one currency too!

America almost became a German speaking Nation. When put to the vote I believe English won by 1 vote.

English won - by a single vote, because one German-favoring guy was sitting on the toilet.

A bit of an Urban Myth.. http://www.watzmann.net/scg/german-by-one-vote.html

Bit of fun though.

A Single Currency. ??

Well they could not get it to work in Europe (23 Countries) let alone the whole World. (257 countries)

Fox.

[Ridgley]

It maybe Chinese in the future.

[uncleglen]

There was a discussion amongst German business leaders, not too long ago either, about using English for communications because it takes about a third less type than German

[justsaying2]

English is becoming the main common language but will not take over completely. Other nationalities make an effort to maintain their own language and value it more dearly, particulalry those un the UK with Engish as a second languge. For them English is merely a tool enabling them to access financial security through education and work. For socialising/family/news media/TV/movies/current affairs, its all done in their mother tongue with a few English/ameericanisms thrown in. Second generation immigrants have something few 'English' people have - access to fluency in other languages enabling them to have the best of both worlds. By building a wider skills set, they use their bilingual abilities to create internet sites, make movies, do business in other select languages - those with only one language will certainly lose out in the future. No time to be smug, learn another language, quick!