why do all want to learn English?

Suzanne   Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:32 am GMT
Why do all want to learn and speak English? I know that many people think it is a world language but it is not the beautiest and it is very "barbaric". Just many words taken from many culture in an ocean of Anglo-Saxon grammar and structure, it sounds made up! Why the hell is this language "the world language?". 1000 years ago nobody spoke English. Why do all have to speak it today?
Guest   Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:01 am GMT
You don't have to speak it if you don't want to. Go back to speaking your own barbaric language. :)
lu   Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:39 am GMT
Don't you think this "barbaric" language is the most widely used in the world??
Jim C, Jorvikskyr   Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:45 am GMT
I don't think you should blame the English language, but blame the UK's past Imperialism, and the USA's current Imperialism for the need to speak English in the current business world. But be happy to know that a far more ancient language, Mandarin will take over soon. I would agree that English can sound barbaric, but we are nice guys really :)
Larissa   Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:52 pm GMT
"but we are nice guys really :)" LOL
Damian in Edinburgh   Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:18 pm GMT
***Why do all have to speak it today?***

Personally, I have no option....without it my life would be a tad difficult.

You say English is very "barbaric"? Would you please expand a wee bit on this statement? Why do you think English fits this description? It can't be the sound of the Language can it? Not when you compare it with many others not too far distant from these shores. English is really quite easy on the tongue (unless of course you're a Glaswegian or a Liverpudlian or wherever else strangulated vowels are the norm.

Are you confusing Language with History? We all know of England's history, but again, compared with other countries, again not too far distant from England's shores, her "barbaric past" seems just a wee bit tame to say the least. Whatever our personal gripes about "the Auld Enemy" south of the border, let's get real here.
Jim C, Jorvikskyr   Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:25 pm GMT
I agreed with "barbaric" as to some ears it is not as fluid as lets say French, and Arabic, on the other hand it isn't as gutteral as German. To me English sounds as beutifull as any bird song, obviously Glaswegian being the call of a pelican in distress.
Suzanne   Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:19 pm GMT
"You say English is very "barbaric"? Would you please expand a wee bit on this statement? Why do you think English fits this description? It can't be the sound of the Language can it? Not when you compare it with many others not too far distant from these shores. English is really quite easy on the tongue (unless of course you're a Glaswegian or a Liverpudlian or wherever else strangulated vowels are the norm.

Are you confusing Language with History? We all know of England's history, but again, compared with other countries, again not too far distant from England's shores, her "barbaric past" seems just a wee bit tame to say the least. Whatever our personal gripes about "the Auld Enemy" south of the border, let's get real here."

I would say English is a barbaric language because it was spoken by the barbaric Anglosaxians.
Jim C, Jorvikskyr   Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:50 pm GMT
Look at this crazyness!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3954156199145885147&q=Fox+Factor&pl=true
I can't believe the stuff comeing out of this guys mouth, plus there are some interesting impressions of various American accents.
loony   Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:25 pm GMT
You call English "barbaric"... ehr... Hitler said the same thing... He called English "bastards" - he thought they were as second-rate as Jews
And if you don't like English at all, you don't have to use it, actually.
Truth be told, scientists say that in 2025 the Spanish might be world language (though I wouldn't like it... English is wonderful - I can read many interesting books and stories - I couldn't if I don't know English... and, what's the most important, The Beatles were English... And I am a modern victim of beatlemania, so... =))) )
Jeff Lyn   Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:54 pm GMT
I have to read many books in English, I've found many free resource about newly technology (especially on computer) are in English, I have to read it (because it's free!), So I have to remember a large number of Words. I don't need to speak English, so all I have to deal with, is just Words!
vincent   Mon May 01, 2006 12:16 pm GMT
<<Its nearest competitor in science is no longer German but Russian.>>

Really???
Travis   Mon May 01, 2006 12:31 pm GMT
vincent, I would not consider much if anything of what Brennus states to be particularly credible, this statement of his included. If anything, Russian has greatly receded in significance since the end of the Cold War. Also, to speak of German, in many eastern European countries where Russian was formerly significant, German has since taken the place of Russian, such that regionally it is more significant than even English is. All in all, what he has said about Russian above is bullshit.
D6037CS   Wed May 03, 2006 2:34 pm GMT
Travis:

I don't think this particular thread is worth the effort of further discussion.

"Suzanne" set the general tone of nastiness with her initial offering.

Sadly, poor old antimoon.com seems to be routinely plagued by these tiresome little efforts at petty racism.
An Fear   Wed May 03, 2006 6:31 pm GMT
"You call English "barbaric"... ehr... Hitler said the same thing... He called English "bastards" - he thought they were as second-rate as Jews"

Hitler had quite a bit of respect for the English due to their empire and believed that he could make peace with them instead of prolonging the fight.

"I would say English is a barbaric language because it was spoken by the barbaric Anglo-Saxons."

I can't say that English is a barbaric language simply because the speakers were barbaric. Romans were extremely barbaric. They called themselves civilised but I don't know about you but I call throwing Christians to the lions and the whole trying to take over the world and in the process wiping out or enslaving entire races a bit "barbaric".(long sentence)