The secret to success is English NOT French nor Chinese (1 Viewer)

[MissSarajevo]

French education minister finally admits defeat in battle against the English language


By Peter Allen
Last updated at 11:26 PM on 02nd September 2008


French Education minister Xavier Darcos has admitted the secret to the French success is speaking English

For generations, the French have fiercely guarded their language against the horreurs anglais.

But France's education minister yesterday admitted for the first time that the secret to success is speaking better English.

Xavier Darcos claimed poor English is now a 'handicap' because all international business is conducted in the language, and said French schools would offer extra lessons during the holidays.

He also admitted that, because of globalisation, very few people outside
France will being able to speak French in the future.
Mr Darcos said he wanted to make it easier for all French students to learn English, saying that 'while well-off families pay for study sessions abroad, I'm offering them to everyone right here.'

The Education Ministry was putting increased funds into English language teaching in France to ensure that young people would not have to go abroad to learn the language, he said.


The extraordinary U-turn came just two years after President Jacques Chirac stormed out of a European Union summit in protest when a French business leader addressed delegates in English.

Mr Chirac said he was 'deeply shocked' that a Frenchman would choose to address the summit in English.


The president’s attitude was supported enthusiastically by the famous L'Académie Française (French Academy), set up in 1635 to protect the purity of French, the language of Molière.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1051805/French-minister-finally-admits-defeat-battle-English-language-claiming-secret-success.html

 

[chicky_pie]

Speaking more than 1 language other than English is success

 

[HNAKXR]

English is such a bastardized language.

 

[zstar]

English is the business language mostly thanks to America.

The fact is it's impossible to conduct any international business nowadays if you don't know english.

 

[Admiral Nelson]

Thanks to America? And not because of the British Empire that spread it's language to America, and dominated the world for two centuries?

 

[Snaykew]

Wow, Frenchies taking a step down in the ego ladder? Disaster looms on the horizon...

Also I don't see Chinese mentioned in the article. =x

 

[katie tully]

We did French in school. It was terrible. A terrible language.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Mr Chirac said he was 'deeply shocked' that a Frenchman would choose to address the summit in English.

Sacrebleu! M. Chriac a dit que dans l'anglais! Les porcs!

 

[HisNameIsChris]

Thanks to America? And not because of the British Empire that spread it's language to America, and dominated the world for two centuries?

Nope, thanks to America. For the past century (which is when most of the progression in globalisation has occurred) America has been the dominant economy of the world. Sure, the English language came from England, but its because of America and American English that English is used so commonly throughout the world.

Not that I like American English - though there's a few sensible improvements here and there, many if not most of the changes are a tad silly.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Sacrebleu! M. Chriac a dit que dans l'anglais! Les porcs!

Hahah je suis beaucoup rire maintenant.

Nope, thanks to America. For the past century (which is when most of the progression in globalisation has occurred) America has been the dominant economy of the world. Sure, the English language came from England, but its because of America and American English that English is used so commonly throughout the world.

Not that I like American English - though there's a few sensible improvements here and there, many if not most of the changes are a tad silly

Most of the wiping out of the world's languages happened under British colonisation. Yes you're right that American English is more common in the world, but that is only because American English is more prevalent in the media than British English, and replaces it as a dialect simply because it has more force of productive appeal. However, if it wasn't around, the business world would simply be using British English in the same amounts, really.

If the UK didn't exist, English wouldn't exist. However if America didn't exist, English would still be the business world's lingua franca. Thus it has nothing to do with America. Not the most difficult logic in the world.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Je l'ai obtenu d'un site internet!

But if America didn't exist, would the world be as oriented towards the British economy as it is towards the American economy?

 

[xeuyrawp]

Je l'ai obtenu d'un site internet!

But if America didn't exist, would the world be as oriented towards the British economy as it is towards the American economy?

No idea, sorry, you'd have to ask an economist and not a linguist.

 

[zstar]

Thanks to America? And not because of the British Empire that spread it's language to America, and dominated the world for two centuries?

Not really, English was prevalent within the British empire but the domination of the U.S as a superpower as the leader of technology, pop culture, world finance and business forced English as the language of globalization.


For instance in Java programming or HTML the languages and tags are American English and terms not British. Being an IT student I can tell you the United States has a deep impact in the history of Computing and the Internet.


Although Britain is somewhat influential it is not the main driver of the world economy and is not the reason for the wide spread use of English.

 

[MissSarajevo]

I think, in any international events like Olympics etc only english speaking artiste should be allowed to perform particularly only those who made it to Billboard Hot 100 chart. Beijing closing ceremony was a flop because the world doesnt know any of those chinese artist and made the event uneventful and downright boring except those acrobatic and cultural performances.

 

[zstar]

I think, in any international events like Olympics etc only english speaking artiste should be allowed to perform particularly only those who made it to Billboard Hot 100 chart. Beijing closing ceremony was a flop because the world doesnt know any of those chinese artist and made the event uneventful and downright boring except those acrobatic and cultural performances.

No way Wang Lee Hom and Rain(He's Korean though) rule.

Chinese, Korean and Japanese artists are just as good if not better than their western contemporaries and some of them even have a following in the west.

 

[HNAKXR]

Beijing closing ceremony was a flop because the world doesnt know any of those chinese artist and made the event uneventful and downright boring except those acrobatic and cultural performances.

still beats Nicky Webster.