Text 6.The triumph of English

In a small book of grand pronouncements, the eminent linguist David Crystal puts the case for English as the global language. He estimates that a total of up to 1,800 million people – 30% of the world population - are already "reasonably competent" in English, of whom "670 million have a native or native-like command" of the language. About one billion people are learning it. In the European Union, according to a 2001 Eurobarometer survey, English – the mother tongue of only 16% of the EU's population – is spoken as a foreign language by a further 31%. And when asked what language they find the most useful besides their mother tongue, 75% of respondents answered English.

What is more interesting certainly is the fact that the seemingly inexorable advance of English is fuelled by an unprecedented world-class status. Over 85% of the scientific, technological or academic production in the world today is done in English. In most countries and industries. A knowledge of English is an invaluable asset on the labour market. Multinationals, whether France's Alcatel or AXA, or Germany's DaimlerChrysler, use English as their corporate language. Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has recently suggested making English the country's second official language, and there have been similar exhortations in Japan. The European Union's monetary policy is decided at Frankfurt, Germany, but in English. In the corridors of power, whether in Brussels, Geneva or New York, official discourse is produced in English first, then translated. Anybody who's anybody speaks English, or they'd be nobody.

And for the common people, English is simply prestigious. It has become the glittering symbol of the affluence and modernity of the technologically superior United States. From Tokyo to Paris, from Moscow to Dakar, English is in. Nobody wants to be a barbarian anymore.

But if English is in, does it mean that autochthonous languages are out – or should be?

Not at all. Some, like Crystal, are quick to point out that English is merely fulfilling a functional need for a lingua franca in this globalised world. People will use English for business, but will naturally switch back to their local vernaculars at home. The fact that two-thirds of the world's children grow up in bilingual or multilingual environments is evidence enough that using a language for international communication does not imply abandoning other idioms in more local contexts, nor indeed one's cultural roots. Others are not so sure. They see a threat to linguistic diversity or even an open encouragement to linguicide. They fear a process of acculturation.

Text 7

BIRMINGHAM, England — It's central England, not Middle Earth, but one school is offering its pupils the chance to learn Elvish. Youngsters at Turves Green Boys' Technology College in Birmingham are being offered weekly after-hours lessons in Sindarin, a conversational form of Elvish invented by «Lord of the Rings» creator J.R.R. Tolkien and based on Welsh sounds.

Educational co ordinator Zainab Thorp said she hoped the classes would help boost the self-esteem of pupils, some of whom have learning difficulties. «The recent success of the 'Lord of the Rings' films has increased the interest in learning Elvish,» Thorp said. «The children really enjoy it. It breaks the idea that education should simply be aimed at getting a job»

Thorp said Tolkien was an expert in ancient languages who had developed two forms of Elvish. Sindarin was based on Welsh sounds and was the more commonly used, while Quenya, which related to Finnish, was largely a ceremonial language. «A couple of the boys are very into role-playing games. Knowing Sindarin is useful when giving orders to their Elvish armies», Thorp said. «It's also very useful if they want to go on to university to study, as it involves looking at some of Tolkien's old manuscripts. This develops some very complex skills»

Text 8.

С необычной проблемой столкнулась психиатрическая служба штата Орегон. Им потребовался переводчик с клингонского, единственного языка, на котором возможно общение с некоторыми пациентами. Это искусственный язык, на котором разговаривает одна из инопланетных рас в культовом сериале Star Trek. И это лишь один из 55 языков, требующихся местным чиновникам.
Хотя клингонский язык был создан для телевидения, он имеет собственные
грамматику, синтаксис и словарь. Как выяснилось, многие полагают, что это
полный язык. "Есть случаи, когда наши душевнобольные пациенты разговаривают только на этом языке", - рассказывает Франна Хэтеуэй (Franna Hathaway),представитель властей округа Мултнома (Multnomah).Как отмечают чиновники, они вынуждены общаться с такими людьми при помощи переводчика с клингонского. А специалистов по этому языку найти так же сложно, как знающих дари (один из языков Афганистана) или тонганский (язык островного королевства Тонга).