Arabic Language To Take Over?

• October 23, 2004

France is trying to get some support for teaching English to students in that country, but not all of France’s politicians are for it.

BBC – A report calling for all school children in France to learn English has started a heated debate.
The report, part of a review of the French education system, said English should be made compulsory.
According to Le Monde, it says pupils should leave school with the language of “international communication”.
The Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin is said to back the proposal, but some politicians are against it. . . .
Its conclusions have been challenged by some politicians, including one deputy from the ruling UMP party, Jacques Myard.
He told Le Monde: “English is the most-spoken language today, but that won’t last.”
He said Spanish, Chinese and Arabic were all growing in importance.
“If we must make a language compulsory, it should be Arabic,” he said.

English won’t last as the most spoken language. That certainly sounds ominous, doesn’t it? And what does it tell us when the politician responsible for that statement supports Arabic as the language of the future? It tells me that there are still a lot of people in France who plan on jumping whenever radical Islam says “frog.”
What would make somebody pick Arabic as the language of the future? That particular culture has not exactly progressed much since the middle ages. There’s still a lot of oppression, particularly of women, that goes on in the global Muslim community. Muslim numbers have been growing in recent years, but as a culture it wouldn’t be one that I’d promote.
As far as foreign languages go, I’m for a country picking one language and sticking with it. If students in that country want to learn another language good for them, but lets not make it mandatory.

Tags: General

http://Array Seth Yantiss

I, somewhat, disagree. I am all for a country keeping their native tounge. However, all Sea, Air, and space craft communications are in English as the international language.

I guess that would still make it an elective,in my view, but certainly an important one.
Canuck

Are you sure you didn’t miss the “just kidding” line? Surely this guy was joking.
http://sddc.blogspot.com/ Corrie

French need to learn Arabic for the same reason Americans need to learn Spanish – to be able to communicate with their neighbors. Of course, in Europe’s case, that just hastens the expansion of al-Islam to the North Sea.

Nonetheless, English has become – and will remain – the international language for three main reasons:

1. It readily absorbs words and phrases from other languages.

2. Spoken English is not inflected. Non-native English speakers can generally be understood regardless of accent.

3. English grammar is likewise forgiving. You can drop articles (native Russian speakers often do) and rearrange word order (think Yoda) without losing the meaning of what you’re saying.

Here’s a tongue-in-cheek look at the early history of the language:

http://www.itasca.net/~corrie/english.htm
Mark

“English won’t last as the most spoken language. That certainly sounds ominous, doesn’t it?”

Perhaps. But it being ominous does not mean it contains no element of truth. Certainly within the next fifty years China will be an extraordinarily economically powerful (not to say numerous) nation. The same can be said to a lesser extent for the Arabic nations, also greatly numerous, and if America continues exporting democracy to them, increasingly important global economic players.

Even if one doubts the way the tide is heading, it is difficult to disagree with the scepticism Myard – will English always be the most dominant global language?

‘And what does it tell us when the politician responsible for that statement supports Arabic as the language of the future?’

Does he? The word future does not appear anywhere. I would guess that he is making a case for teaching Arabic, rather than English, as the second language in French schools, on the simple basis that there around eight million Arabs in France. And far fewer English people. Mere pragmatism – and one that need not imply anything about Arabic language or culture being ‘the future’. But more of that below.

“It tells me that there are still a lot of people in France who plan on jumping whenever radical Islam says “frog.”"

Err… The headscarf ban? Refusal to recant in the face hostage-taking? I don’t think that statement holds up to much scrutiny.

‘What would make somebody pick Arabic as the language of the future? That particular culture has not exactly progressed much since the middle ages.’

I’m troubled by this statement and its implication of discontinuity. Cultures are not monolithic. You can speak Arabic, live in the western world, and be a westerner, and subscribe to Western values. Equally, you imply that the teaching of Arabic as a language simultaneously implies promotion of (the worst aspects of) Arab ‘culture’. Such a linkage may exist. But surely it is more reasonable to maintain that those aspects of Arab ‘culture’ can be legislated against, eroded and eliminated, while simultaneously integrating Arabs into western culture by encouraging westerners to speak Arabic? Is that not more sensible than simply leaving Arabs (in France) in their own self-contained, women-oppressing, dangerous little community?
http://www.metallicarat.blogspot.com/ MetallicaRat

Personally, I think we should mandate a second language sometime in elementary school, not high school.
It’s always fun to be able to hold a conversation in another language, and it stretches the mind. All good things.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

I don’t think it should be mandated. Second languages can be useful and important, but not neccessarily to every student.

Plus, our teachers are having a hard enough time teaching our youngsters the basics. If we start mandating foreign languages as well its going to take away from other, more important studies.

If a student is headed to a career path where a second or third language would be beneficial than that student should have available the resources to do so. But lets keep in mind that the vast majority of students who graduate are going to get jobs where a second language just doesn’t matter. The focus should be on skills that will help them earn and survive in the real world.

SayAnythingBlog.com

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