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I know English is by far the most important and it won't be replaced any time soon, but I think that it will become the type of language that will come in handy. I think for example, if there's two people with no common language speaking to each other, they would normally use English. BUT, what if the people didn't know English? I think maybe Spanish would become the alternative language of choice in the world.
Yes, I know Spanish is spoken in mostly poor 3rd world developing countries and it's little known outside of the americas, but their economies are growing, and there is about 500 million people who speak Spanish across 23 different countries. I think that's a lot of countries and a lot of people.
This is the short version of another video I uploaded and it explains a little more things in depth. Don't criticize so harshly, I am still learning how to improve making and editing videos. Feel free to comment watch, share or whatever.
No. In the past generation, English has entered its third generation of being the lingua franca.
First, the expansion of the British Empire
Second, the post war expansion of the American commercial empire.
Now, we have seen India and China re-integrate into the world. Indians speak English and Chinese all speak English as their second language.
If anything the relative role of Spanish has diminished.
No. In the past generation, English has entered its third generation of being the lingua franca.
First, the expansion of the British Empire
Second, the post war expansion of the American commercial empire.
Now, we have seen India and China re-integrate into the world. Indians speak English and Chinese all speak English as their second language.
If anything the relative role of Spanish has diminished.
English wasn't the lingua franca until the 70s and actually its spread was rather low anyway until the complete Russian demise and the full expansion of the Internet.
During the "expansion of the British Empire" the language of diplomacy, trade and culture internationally was French.
English wasn't the lingua franca until the 70s and actually its spread was rather low anyway until the complete Russian demise and the full expansion of the Internet.
During the "expansion of the British Empire" the language of diplomacy, trade and culture internationally was French.
I think Spanish is already the second most spoken European language after English.
I do not know where some of you get this idea that Latin America is poor, as an economic mass they are quite large and several of those countries are pretty much about to become developed in a decade or so. As the region consolidates in the 21st century the Spanish language will become even more powerful.
French on the other hand is a dying language in Asia or Africa. In Asia French is spoken mostly by old vietnamese elites that are quickly dying out, and French speaking African countries are quite poor to make a world impact. Also have in mind French is disappearing from several African countries because natives are taking back their own African languages.
In the Americas French has some minor importance because of Quebec, but have in mind the French language is constantly endangered because of the much more powerful English language.
In Europe French is important because of France but I keep seeing more and more students at least in England learning Spanish or German, while I hardly find any who want to learn French. I think it might be because the English as a whole tend to like Spain more than France.
Last edited by anthony69; 04-24-2015 at 06:44 AM..
English wasn't the lingua franca until the 70s and actually its spread was rather low anyway until the complete Russian demise and the full expansion of the Internet.
During the "expansion of the British Empire" the language of diplomacy, trade and culture internationally was French.
French was a lingua franca along with English in the 50's and even 60's, in the 70's French started to decline and has not stopped declining ever since.
When I travel for business all of my meetings, 100% of them are conducted exclusively in English, I cannot recall ever meeting some one who speaks French, or being at a meeting where French was spoken as the lingua franca, I must however tell you that I have met businessmen who speak Spanish, German and even some Japanese, but very rarely French.
Internationally would mean outside of your country technically and yes.
Diplomacy and trade were often conducted in French: Germans and Russians communicated with each other in French, the negotiations between Russians and Turks for the 1877-1878 war were conducted in French and so on.
From the 70s onwards English surpassed any other language thanks to the US, with Internet massive exposure helped the language to spread to every people.
Internationally would mean outside of your country technically and yes.
Diplomacy and trade were often conducted in French: Germans and Russians communicated with each other in French, the negotiations between Russians and Turks for the 1877-1878 war were conducted in French and so on.
From the 70s onwards English surpassed any other language thanks to the US, with Internet massive exposure helped the language to spread to every people.
I'm sorry but the language of business in the British Empire was English I'm not sure you are appreciating the size of the Empire at that time.
The extent of the British Empire could be seen not only in the worlds atlases but Britain was also the worlds banker investing immense sums all around the world. By 1914 the gross nominal value of Britain stock of capital invested abroad was 3.8 billion between 2/5ths and HALF of ALL foreign owned assets! No other major economy has ever held such a large proportion of its assets overseas (look it up for yourself) if you don't think that has any bearing on why English became dominant then I really don't know what to say!
I learned French because I thought I was gonna use it while living in Switzerland (Geneva), it comes out everyone spoke English and many even would speak Spanish to me.
At the end I never got to practice French, 95% of my stay in Switzerland evolved around speaking English, even many of the expats don't even bother to learn French because you frankly don't need it.
Here in Africa French is quite uncommon too.... the old French colonies speak their own African languages and French is losing ground.
I learned French because I thought I was gonna use it while living in Switzerland (Geneva), it comes out everyone spoke English and many even would speak Spanish to me.
At the end I never got to practice French, 95% of my stay in Switzerland evolved around speaking English, even many of the expats don't even bother to learn French because you frankly don't need it.
Here in Africa French is quite uncommon too.... the old French colonies speak their own African languages and French is losing ground.
A cute little bird once told everybody that you've never left Colombia and all the European and African expat-life you've experienced is nothing more than a big fat fantasy.
Was the bird a liar or you're just delusional?
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