Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/24
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On 24 Nov 97, Afterswift@aol.com wrote:
<snip>
> 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.
We don't learn other languages simply because we don't have to. As
long as the rest of the world speaks English it will be only academics
and a few enthusiasts that learn other languages here in the US.
To make matters worse, in our zeal to dumb down the citizenry, we
seldom, anymore, require even the far less than rigorous go at another
language or two that was required in my day. Therefore, most North
Americans have zero appreciation for the world's languages.
> Sure, English isn't forever, but what is? Only what follows. And
> that's both unpredictable and remote in time to us.
Sure, I didn't mean to imply a time table. The only thing that is sure
is that *nothing* is forever, and, surely, the dominant language of the
world *will* change eventually. It is merely a question of when. Those
that are around during the many, many decades required to affect this
change are in for a treat. Wish I could be around! Hey, Mr. Devil, ya
wanna buy a soul? Just let me come back for a day or two every couple
hundred years or so. Come back with my Leica around my neck, that is!
I'm done, and am ashamed of my topical deviation! [Not to mention all
my other deviations :^) ]
- --
Roger Beamon
Naturalist & Photographer
mailto:beamon@primenet.com
He, who will not reason, is a bigot;
he, who cannot, is a fool;
and he, who dares not, is a slave.
-- William Drumond, Scottish writer (1585-1649)