Althouse: "Will the EU still use English?"

June 24, 2016

"Will the EU still use English?"

"Yes, says BBC Europe editor Katya Adler. There will still be 27 other EU states in the bloc, and others wanting to join in the future, and the common language tends to be English - 'much to France's chagrin,' she says."

30 comments:

rhhardin said...: They will if they want an American audience.

The value of an American learning a second language is commercially zero. This is not true for foreign countries.; 6/24/16, 7:31 AM
paminwi said...: "What about protected species?"
Very important question in regards to Brexit!; 6/24/16, 7:33 AM
Original Mike said...: "Will the EU still use English?"

Why should we let them? Fuckin' appropriators.; 6/24/16, 7:37 AM
Lauderdale Vet said...: I was initially following this in US populated lists and hashtags on twitter.

They had devolved into "Leavers hate brown people" and "people over 50 shouldn't be allowed to vote"

So I went out looking for UK and EU populated lists and hashtags on twitter.

They were also mostly "Leavers hate brown people" and "people over 50 shouldn't be allowed to vote".

Ugh.; 6/24/16, 7:39 AM
Anonymous said...: The Irish would be pretty surprised if they didn't, I imagine.; 6/24/16, 7:44 AM
Gahrie said...: English is the language of the modern world because it is the easiest language to create new words in (We basically steal words from everyone else, and create words using Greek and roman constructions).

Many other languages Most notably French) are actively protected from the encroachment of other languages. (The French actually has a government agency tasked with this job)

Add in the economic and educational benefits to learning English, and there you have it.; 6/24/16, 7:52 AM
Curious George said...: "much to France's chagrin"

Fuck France.; 6/24/16, 7:54 AM
Hagar said...: Not only English, but American English!; 6/24/16, 7:55 AM
Curious George said...: Not Austrian, much to Obama's chagrin.; 6/24/16, 8:05 AM
n.n said...: The French have also been oppressed by the anti-native policies of the EU.; 6/24/16, 8:09 AM
bagoh20 said...: "much to France's chagrin"
Let's make that "discontent".; 6/24/16, 8:12 AM
Original Mike said...: If the EU wants to use English, they should have to buy the rights from England. Hell, they won't let anyone else use the word mozzarella.; 6/24/16, 8:18 AM
Quaestor said...: The French actually has a government agency tasked with this job

Les Immortels, ils grincent des cet, ou ils accaparent la couverture.; 6/24/16, 8:22 AM
PB said...: One of the core problems with the EU is always referring to the members as "states" when they consider themselves "countries" or "nations" and the constant drumbeat from Brussels and the "elites" in control that they know what's best for all. It was the perpetuation and increase in power of a political class that viewed themselves as "bettors".; 6/24/16, 9:19 AM
Alexander said...: The common language of the EU is Arabic. They should use that.; 6/24/16, 9:20 AM
Rusty said...: In some cases they'll have to. English is the language of commercial aviation.; 6/24/16, 9:38 AM
mockturtle said...: France had her day in the sun, when French was the universal language of diplomacy. Learning French was then, shall we say, de rigueur?; 6/24/16, 10:13 AM
Etienne said...: Although the word chagrin is French...

Most English speak French, but they don't have the accent, and our grammar rules fuck-up the French rules of pronunciation.

shah-grah(n) versus chuh-grin.

English is a mongrel language, stealing words without shame.

chuh-grin, sounds like same-sex or she-male fellatio to me...; 6/24/16, 10:44 AM
Gahrie said...: One of the core problems with the EU is always referring to the members as "states" when they consider themselves "countries" or "nations"

The problem is, they are using the word "state" correctly. In its original meaning, "state" meant a country. Originally, our government was like the EU, a union of independent countries or "states". Gradually, over time, ending with the Civil War, the United States evolved from a union of independent "states", to a nation itself. (prior to the Civil War, "United States" was plural..."the United States are". After the Civil War, "United States" was singular, "The United States is") So, they are using the term correctly, and we no longer are.

and the constant drumbeat from Brussels and the "elites" in control that they know what's best for all.

Yep...the same thing we face from the Washington D.C. elites....

It was the perpetuation and increase in power of a political class that viewed themselves as "bettors".

That too, but you probably meant "betters".; 6/24/16, 10:55 AM
Etienne said...: Rusty said...English is the language of commercial aviation.

Having flown over France many times, I can tell you the ATC will speak English only if you do.

It's kind of disconcerting the first time you fly over, as everyone is speaking French, and then you'll say something in English thinking you will be ostracized and poof, it's nothing. They will speak whatever language you want. The controllers all seem to know multiple languages.; 6/24/16, 10:59 AM
tim in vermont said...: Since French is heavily regulated, it is hampered in ways that bar it from becoming an international language, French will never by a Lingua Franca as long as they make it so difficult for the language to adapt to changes and to express new ideas.; 6/24/16, 11:09 AM
Lyle said...: Thanks to America baby!; 6/24/16, 11:30 AM
Etienne said...: tim in vermont said...Since French is heavily regulated,...

While it is true the written language is regulated, if you go to France and speak high school French, you will sound like Shakespeare, but they will understand you.

You will not understand them though. The reason is they have a lot of slang, and they glide the words together very fast.

The first time you hear them say "jeune say-pah" you will not recognize it as "je ne sais pas."

There is a big business in teaching "street French". You can do this over Skype, and it's really fun to have a real French teacher, instead of some college professor. French Today being the best I think, because she has lived in the USA for many years before returning to France.

Then to, songs, and poetry do not follow the official pronunciation. Almost always (for example) étoile is eh-twahl, but in song the mute 'e' is pronounced eh-twah-luh.

So the effect of the Académie française is not much more than an English Dictionary organized by experts. France being a communist country, their experts are paid by the government.; 6/24/16, 12:08 PM
James Pawlak said...: At this time English is the world language. Unless Europeans are more firm in defending Western Civilization, there is a danger that they will be using Arabic.

I must wonder how much is the cost of maintaining the over-paid EU bureaucracy OR its parallel in our Federal government.

at this; 6/24/16, 12:24 PM
Original Mike said...: "everyone is speaking French, and then you'll say something in English thinking you will be ostracized and poof, it's nothing. They will speak whatever language you want. The controllers all seem to know multiple languages."

But the problem is you don't know what the hell they're talking about. They might have been talking about the unidentified plane right in yout path.; 6/24/16, 2:46 PM
Anonymous said...: Gahrie: English is the language of the modern world because it is the easiest language to create new words in (We basically steal words from everyone else, and create words using Greek and roman constructions).

Many other languages Most notably French) are actively protected from the encroachment of other languages.

tim in vermont: Since French is heavily regulated, it is hampered in ways that bar it from becoming an international language, French will never by a Lingua Franca as long as they make it so difficult for the language to adapt to changes and to express new ideas.

No, that isn't why English became the planet's current lingua franca and French didn't. (French is the lingua franca of a rather large geographic area, even today.) A whole bunch of historical happenstances, political and technological, piled up in favor of English, and here we are. A language's political, commercial, and cultural dominance has nothing to do with what the pedants among its speakers do or do not try to control.; 6/24/16, 4:57 PM
Etienne said...: Original Mike said...But the problem is you don't know what the hell they're talking about. They might have been talking about the unidentified plane right in your path.

You're right that it does not enhance safety, but when you fly Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) you are guaranteed a bubble around you, so no one listens to anyone else anyway (mostly). That's the theory anyway.; 6/24/16, 6:10 PM
The Godfather said...: Was Katya Adler's statement an intentional or accidental joke? Show of hands please.; 6/24/16, 8:55 PM
Rusty said...: Blogger Original Mike said...
"everyone is speaking French, and then you'll say something in English thinking you will be ostracized and poof, it's nothing. They will speak whatever language you want. The controllers all seem to know multiple languages."

But the problem is you don't know what the hell they're talking about. They might have been talking about the unidentified plane right in yout path.

In commercial aviation your flight number is on the screen. That tells the ATC all he/she needs to know about you.; 6/25/16, 8:11 AM
CatherineM said...: Yes they will.

English is the language of international business and relations. Britain in or out of EU or no EU at all, that doesn't change.; 6/25/16, 2:27 PM