The role of the English language in the EU, after Brexit

[Estro Felino]

Is France really trying to ban speaking English in the EU?


As many of you know, some élites (and I underline élites as opposed to the people) did not accept Brexit fully. They did not a have a proper closure.
So they think of banning English as retaliation towards UK, which is the symbol of the Anglophile world (despite Malta and Ireland having English as official language...btw)...after Brexit.

What do you guys think?

 

[Kooky]

So a single French MP who isn't even a member of the European Parliament is "France"?

This has got to be one of the most misleading headlines in recent memory.
It doesn't even match up with the topic of the actual article it headlines.

 

[Estro Felino]

What do I think?
Regardless of the EU (so even if the EU didn't exist), English is the language by which Europeans communicate with each other.

Example. I love the Greek people. All Italians do.
But it is not a simple love. It is much more than that. It is a real powerful empathy and sympathy.
I cannot speak Modern Greek, though.
I studied Ancient Greek at school...but as a language to translate ancient texts.

Modern Greek is too difficult.
Why should I study it, since we Italians and Greeks already communicate in English?

And Greeks love Italy as well. But why should they learn Italian, since they already know how to speak English?

So...no question. English is the lingua franca of Europe.
Thanks to English, I can communicate with Polish, Czech, Bulgarians, Danish, Serbians...etc...
Very difficult languages.

I can speak, Spanish, French and German.
So no problem for me, as for these three big nations. But with the other Europeans, English remains an indispensable tool.

 

[Altfish]

Is France really trying to ban speaking English in the EU?


As many of you know, some élites (and I underline élites as opposed to the people) did not accept Brexit fully. They did not a have a proper closure.
So they think of banning English as retaliation towards UK, which is the symbol of the Anglophile world (despite Malta and Ireland having English as official language...btw)...

What do you guys think?

Think this is only in your fantasy world Estro.
France is very protective of its language but no more

 

[Glaurung]

What do you guys think?

I think EU should restore Classical Latin as the diplomatic and scholarly lingua franca of Western Europe.

 

[Estro Felino]

I think EU should restore Classical Latin as the diplomatic and scholarly lingua franca of Western Europe.

...which has a very difficult grammar.
I am sorry, I disagree.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I think EU should restore Classical Latin as the diplomatic and scholarly lingua franca of Western Europe.

Why Latin, and not Classical Greek?

 

[Glaurung]

...which has a very difficult grammar.
I am sorry, I disagree.

I'm sorry you feel that way. I for one think it's an equitable solution. A common diplomatic language not native to any nation and thus not privileging any particular nation.

Why Latin, and not Classical Greek?

A compromise would be to make Classical Greek an associate language. I privilege Latin over Greek due to Latin's larger and longer lasting historical currency in much of what we today think of as Europe.

 

[Estro Felino]

I'm sorry you feel that way. I for one think it's an equitable solution. A common diplomatic language not native to any nation and thus not privileging any particular nation.

Grammar easiness is the criterion to focus on.
Latin is a dead language.

 

[Glaurung]

Grammar easiness is the criterion to focus on.

Implicit in this is the premise that inflected languages are ipso facto unsuitable for international communication. I just don't see why that should be the case. Latin in all its complexity still became the language of an empire. Indeed its influence and words sprinkles the vocabularies of Western Europe and its diaspora to this very day.

Latin is a dead language.

I don't really think Classical Latin could actually be revived as a working language. If the EU were to replace English then either French or German (or a combination of both) would be the only realistic alternatives in my view.

 

[kaninchen]

So they think of banning English as retaliation towards UK,

The only elite that I've come across moaning about that are your friends on the Tory Right.

 

[Estro Felino]

Implicit in this is the premise that inflected languages are ipso facto unsuitable for international communication. I just don't see why that should be the case. Latin in all its complexity still became the language of an empire. Indeed its influence and words sprinkles the vocabularies of Western Europe and its diaspora to this

I assume you do love Latin...right?

May I ask you a grammar question?

Ius Naturalis and Ius Naturale.
Which is the grammatically correct expression?
And why is it one and not the other?

 

[Audie]

Let the French cut themselves off, they are
yesterday's news anyway.
English is the language of international trade.

 

[Glaurung]

Ius Naturalis and Ius Naturale.

Since ius is neuter, the answer is the latter. Ius Naturale.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Let the French cut themselves off, they are
yesterday's news anyway.
English is the language of international trade.

Probably time for the rest of us to start learning Chinese anyway

 

[Audie]

Probably time for the rest of us to start learning Chinese anyway

A tough sell.

 

[Estro Felino]

Since ius is neuter, the answer is the latter. Ius Naturale.

I did know you knew the answer.
It was an example to make people here see how complicated Latin Grammar is

 

[PureX]

What do I think?
Regardless of the EU (so even if the EU didn't exist), English is the language by which Europeans communicate with each other.

Example. I love the Greek people. All Italians do.
But it is not a simple love. It is much more than that. It is a real powerful empathy and sympathy.
I cannot speak Modern Greek, though.
I studied Ancient Greek at school...but as a language to translate ancient texts.

Modern Greek is too difficult.
Why should I study it, since we Italians and Greeks already communicate in English?

And Greeks love Italy as well. But why should they learn Italian, since they already know how to speak English?

So...no question. English is the lingua franca of Europe.
Thanks to English, I can communicate with Polish, Czech, Bulgarians, Danish, Serbians...etc...
Very difficult languages.

I can speak, Spanish, French and German.
So no problem for me, as for these three big nations. But with the other Europeans, English remains an indispensable tool.

Yes, the use of language tends to have a flow of it's own regardless of the desires or dictates of politicians. And as the world's people interact more and more, nowadays, they will determine their own common language by necessity.

 

[Audie]

Yes, the use of language tends to have a flow of it's own regardless of the desires or dictates of politicians. And as the world's people interact more and more, nowadays, they will determine their own common language by necessity.

Singlish is a good example of such a language

 

[Altfish]

I think EU should restore Classical Latin as the diplomatic and scholarly lingua franca of Western Europe.

If Rees Mogg gets any more power in the UK, that will happen here.