How do other Europeans feel about the dominance of English in Europe and the world? (culture, cons)
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I read somewhere that early on the US almost picked German as the national language
That is just a myth, but is widely circulated. The US doesn't have an official language, and never considered making it anything other than English. At their height, German immigrants made up a minority relative to blacks in the US; that is to say a minority that was significant but not enough to evoke a change in laws or language. There was, however, some consideration regarding the publication of laws in languages other than English. This took place just after independence, and was rejected. The closest to situation one can find is French as an official state language in Louisiana.
That is just a myth, but is widely circulated. The US doesn't have an official language, and never considered making it anything other than English. At their height, German immigrants made up a minority relative to blacks in the US; that is to say a minority that was significant but not enough to evoke a change in laws or language. There was, however, some consideration regarding the publication of laws in languages other than English. This took place just after independence, and was rejected. The closest to situation one can find is French as an official state language in Louisiana.
Yes, the explosion of the German population (they are still the single biggest ethnic group in the US today) probably came later when English was already established
The dominance of English was not by chance. Technological progress shrunk the world and the British were forefront in this and using it to link its empire - the steam engine in rail and ships. They made English the common language in the largest empire the world has ever known. Of course it was going to dominate, as the UK was a large economic and trading power, during and after the empire
Unfortunately, this is not the case. At the height of the British Empire, French continued to be the world lingua franca. For example, German diplomats negotiating terms with the Russians during World War I did so in French, not in English, German, or Russian. A Latin American student would learn French as his foreign language, rather than English until the mid 20th century. The British Empire was not the leading economic power for much of it's height; the US overtook the British Empire's economy during the 1870's-80's, and at the same time Germany was the leading European country in terms of scientific and military innovation. The rise of English as a lingua franca directly correlates with the rise of the US economy and the country's status as a superpower.
Yes, the explosion of the German population (they are still the single biggest ethnic group in the US today) probably came later when English was already established
Yes, there were two major waves. That which took place during colonial times and that which took place during the mid to late 1800's. The colonial German population was largest in Pennsylvania where they accounted for about a third of population. They were resented by many, and even Ben Franklin wrote a well-known xenophobic rant about German immigration. By the time the second major wave of German immigrants came, the original German populace had mostly assimilated, and the new immigrants settled in the west in places like Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Many in the new wave attended schools in German, read German newspapers, and retained German proficiency until the conflicts until the rise of the German Empire. At this point, German became very unpopular due to the First World War, and many anglicized their names and tried to hide their roots.
It is worth noting that many who claim to be "German" on census records are in reality mixed with English and other European ancestry. Similarly many who respond "African" can be up to 50% European. It tends to be standard procedure in America to identify your origin with the more exotic ancestry. So for example someone who has two German great-grandparents, and two American great-grandparents will most likely call themselves" German". Additionally, many who came from Germany would be called French today, because they came from the German-speaking regions of eastern France. Other Germans were confused with the Dutch (Of course, "Deutsch" sounds exactly like our word for the people from the Netherlands).
Yes, there were two major waves. That which took place during colonial times and that which took place during the mid to late 1800's. The colonial German population was largest in Pennsylvania where they accounted for about a third of population. They were resented by many, and even Ben Franklin wrote a well-known xenophobic rant about German immigration. By the time the second major wave of German immigrants came, the original German populace had mostly assimilated, and the new immigrants settled in the west in places like Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Many in the new wave attended schools in German, read German newspapers, and retained German proficiency until the conflicts until the rise of the German Empire. At this point, German became very unpopular due to the First World War, and many anglicized their names and tried to hide their roots.
It is worth noting that many who claim to be "German" on census records are in reality mixed with English and other European ancestry. Similarly many who respond "African" can be up to 50% European. It tends to be standard procedure in America to identify your origin with the more exotic ancestry. So for example someone who has two German great-grandparents, and two American great-grandparents will most likely call themselves" German". Additionally, many who came from Germany would be called French today, because they came from the German-speaking regions of eastern France. Other Germans were confused with the Dutch (Of course, "Deutsch" sounds exactly like our word for the people from the Netherlands).
The eu in Deutsch actually rhymes with the eu in Freud, so Deutsch should not have been confused with Dutch
I guess it is normal for people all over the world to opt for the more exotic ancestry in order to stand out from the crowd
And where did Franklin's xenophobia stem from? I mean, that was way before the world wars (which I know have stained all things German for some time)
How can it not be because of the English!! Have you stopped to think why English is spoken in the US!! The language is called ENGLISH for a reason you know! lol English was the lingua-franca since the British 'ruled the waves' and spread its one time Empire over 1/4 of the globe. Yes of course the fact that English is spoken in vast tracks of the world today has an affect on the 'modern' popularity of the language but trying to suggest that the English have nothing to do with the English language is like trying to suggest that Italians have nothing to do with pizza.
Slow down and read my post again. I never said the British had no relation to the fact English is widely spoken.. I was saying it's not the British who made the English language the lingua-franca but the Americans. British had the largest navy, largest empire, and were one of the few leading nations. But it wasn't enough. It's the US dominance during the 20th century which changed everything. That's why I said the 13 colonies.. Sort of, if the UK had colonized only those lands, maybe English would still be the global language nowadays.
And where did Franklin's xenophobia stem from? I mean, that was way before the world wars (which I know have stained all things German for some time)
Franklin didn't like Germans for the same reason many don't like Mexicans or any other immigrant group. This included percieved racial reasons: Germans were not considered to be pure "white" people in colonial America (in addition to the Swedes) and it was feared they would threaten the white American complexion. Furthermore, Germans were accused of being too numerous, taking American jobs, having too many children, of being ignorant and prone to drink. Lastly, they were considered unlikely to assimilate, and envisioned an America overrun by German culture and customs. In other words, the Germans suffered from the standard charges that any immigrant groups are billed with.
Humans are funny. The Americans had just stolen the continent from the indigenous peoples, and then they behaved like it was theirs and as if they had any more right to be there than German or other immigrants
The Amish still speak some German today. But I suppose that will end sooner or later...
Unfortunately, this is not the case. At the height of the British Empire, French continued to be the world lingua franca. For example, German diplomats negotiating terms with the Russians during World War I did so in French, not in English, German, or Russian. A Latin American student would learn French as his foreign language, rather than English until the mid 20th century. The British Empire was not the leading economic power for much of it's height; the US overtook the British Empire's economy during the 1870's-80's, and at the same time Germany was the leading European country in terms of scientific and military innovation. The rise of English as a lingua franca directly correlates with the rise of the US economy and the country's status as a superpower.
You are wrong. In the 1870's and 1880's the British Empire covered a quarter of the globe, in fact you yourself right now are talking to me in English because of the British Empire!
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