English Mania

[DuB]

New TED talk today. I found an extended version on Youtube -- it's still pretty brief (6:57), so don't worry . The video poses the question: Is English Mania good or bad? The narrator clearly takes a pro-English Mania stance. What do you think? Is English Mania threatening an important part of the world's cultures -- their languages? If so, is it worth it? Are the benefits listed in the video overstated? Do they outweigh the costs? Or is it about time that the world embraced a global language? Tell me what you think about English Mania and describe your experiences with it, especially if you are a non-native speaker.

[Invader]

It's nice for the sake of convenience, but it's only convenient for those who already know the language. It's "bad" in that cultures die out day by day. There's a TED talk that discusses the issue of ethnocide (Wade Davis on Endangered Cultures) that evoked my sympathies. This issue of universal language and whether or not people view it as a good or bad thing ultimately depends on whether or not they value culture. I don't value culture in and of itself as being beautiful, as there are plenty of cultures I have no favor for, but I don't believe that's a reason to see them disappear. So much language, and so many different ideas that can come from them. So many different walks of life for so many human beings.. Why see that destroyed? There are still so many good things that can come from our differences.

[mysterious dreamer]

"Not because America is pushing it, but because the world is pulling it." Just for the note, French was the universal language before WWII and before America started pushing it. All the stuff the guy says is exaggerated, but there is a need for a universal language and English is really simple to learn IMO. If only people realised the importance of their native languages as well and didn't butcher them by putting in an English word in every second sentance.

[Photolysis]

I think the adoption of a language as a universal one is a good thing. English is particularly convenient for me because I'm a native speaker. But the language barrier is yet another thing that prevents us from having a unified world. When it comes to the destruction of culture, I'll readily admit I don't have much concern for it; plenty of cultures have been lost over the course of history. They naturally are created, evolve, and die. But things of value to people tend to remain. I also don't consider culture to be based around languages particularly. Languages are a tool for expression, cultures are primarily based on beliefs and actions. And there are many diverse cultures, all of which speak English. Not to mention that different languages are a barrier to understanding the different cultures. It's true that different ideas and viewpoints can come from different cultures, but without understanding, this is meaningless. A universal language would aid with this. And to be honest, if people truely cared about preserving culture and the variations, they'd want to impose more barriers; exposure to new ideas changes the cultures they seek to preserve.

[Licity]

We are far, far overdue for a global language. I don't think English should be the language of choice though. Too many rules and exceptions to memorize. I have played with other languages and have found Japanese to be extremely simple in all respects(except memorizing the alphabets.) Also, with children capable of learning multiple languages with ease, there's no reason to wipe out old languages, just teach them as well. Many countries already require English as a secondary language, and most U.S. high schools require at least two years of any foreign language.

[Xaqaria]

English is in reality one of the worst languages to be used as a "universal language." It is a mash up of several very different languages (mainly latin/romantic and german) and therefore the rules were tacked on after the language had already evolved and often don't work and even contradict each other. There have been several languages invented for the purpose of an easy to learn universal language (see; esperanto) and none of them have gone anywhere. English is only held in the regard that it is because the anglo-american lobbyists are the loudest. I also don't consider culture to be based around languages particularly. Languages are a tool for expression, cultures are primarily based on beliefs and actions. And there are many diverse cultures, all of which speak English. Not to mention that different languages are a barrier to understanding the different cultures. It's true that different ideas and viewpoints can come from different cultures, but without understanding, this is meaningless. A universal language would aid with this. Do you think that languages might have evolved within a specific culture in order to express those specific beliefs and actions? Do you think that cultures can be different enough from each other in such ways that their beliefs and actions cannot be accurately expressed in each other's language? How equipped do you think english might be to accommodate all of the cultural differences across the globe? Do you think any language is capable of accurately expressing the beliefs and actions of every culture? Is it possible that a universal language would first require a universal culture?