LUG Internationalism

[Afterswift@aol.com]

>In the bunch of lists to which I subscribe (admittedly most are 
>photographic), English is the default language for the same reason that 
>it has become that in most international commercial and political 
>endeavors. Nothing is forever, however, and when the US is toppled as 
>the leading power in the world, then assuredly, citizens of the US will 
>have to get off their butts and learn the language of the next 
>anointed.
>--Roger Beamon
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Hellenism hung around quite a while after Greece left the scene. And Latin is
still echoing in Western churches and universities. So methinks twill be a
long stretch before English gives up the ghost. Hebrew is yet a living
language in Israel.
If a language has something to say from the soul, it will be survive in one
way or another.

English has one asset most other languages don't. It's completely secular and
has vectors directed from former geographically diverse nations within the
former British empire. That's quite a chorus speaking English. And who
doesn't like to hear Shakespeare in English! Or close to it.

English also gets it charm from its use on the dollar bill. So those who
don't care for Shakespeare might be drawn by both the Latin and English print
on the long Green.

I know of no country in the developed world where English isn't taught in the
schools. So we have a huge installed base.
What bothers me about US Americans is that vast majority don't know an
additional language, whereas most Europeans have some idea of English as
complementing their native language. I'm deeply sorry I never learned Spanish
well.

Sure, English isn't forever, but what is? Only what follows. And that's both
unpredictable and remote in time to us. 

Bob