language of 20th century?

Americans don't want fren   Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:55 pm GMT
The top 10 languages to study

You’ll be surprised at the languages that will be most useful to you in the future



By John F. Copper/Next Step Magazine, February 2004



Almost weekly, I encounter students who ask what languages they should study and why. What languages are going to be important in the future?



Because studying a foreign language is a major commitment in time and energy, you should consider your choices carefully. Some important factors to consider include whether the language has an increasing number of speakers; and which are the languages of nations that are advancing in science and technology.



Here is my list of the top 10 languages to consider studying.



Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is my number-one pick because the language has more speakers than any other language. Plus, China is booming economically, more than any other important nation, and this will probably continue to be true for many years.



Japanese

Japan is the second largest nation in the world in economic size, and its language is in the top 10 by number of speakers. The country is first in foreign investment and economic assistance and, with China, is the leader of the most economically dynamic part of the world. And the Japanese are innovative—the country accounts for a greater share of the world’s patents than any other nation, except for the United States (and in some years it has passed the U.S.).



Arabic

It’s spoken in most countries in the Middle East, making it one of the top languages in the world in number of speakers. It’s also the language of Islam—the fastest growing religion in the world, which will have more adherents than any other by 2023 if current trends continue. Arabic speakers are also in demand by U.S. intelligence agencies.



Bahasa or Malay

It’s spoken in Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. These three countries are oil exporters, and Indonesia and Malaysia control the world’s supply of tin and natural rubber. All three are booming economically, and no doubt will continue to do so. Very few American students study Bahasa, making knowledge of the language all the more valuable.



Russian

Russia is the largest country in the world by land size and sixth in population. The country is blessed with natural resources, and many speculate that its oil production could make it the world’s largest energy exporter, surpassing Saudi Arabia.



Spanish

It’s one of the top languages spoken throughout the world and throughout the United States. Most countries that speak Spanish have growing populations.

Why, then, does it only rank sixth? Because it’s the most popular language to study in the U.S., making the supply-demand ratio unfavorable for students.



Korean

South Korea is one of the economic miracle countries of the past 40 years, and it will continue to be one of the fastest growing commercially. Because so few students study the language, the supply-demand ratio favors any American who knows Korean.



Portuguese

It’s spoken in the largest Latin American country, Brazil, which is also the fifth largest nation in the world in size and population. It could be the dominant nation in South America in the future. Fewer Americans study Portuguese than Spanish and other European languages.



Hindi

It’s the second-largest language in the world in number of speakers, after Mandarin Chinese. It’s the dominant language of India, which is the world’s second largest nation by population and is doing well economically. However, it’s not a universal language in India, and most Hindi speakers also speak English.



Bengali

This is an important language in Southeast Asia, and a top 10 language in number of speakers.



You might be asking where’s French? German? Astonishing to some, I suppose, but the reason these don’t place in the top 10 are that both countries have small or declining populations. Neither country is growing very fast economically, either. And many people there also speak English. Lastly, there are too many American students studying these languages already, so the supply is much bigger than the demand.



One final thought to consider: Each year, more than 200 languages become extinct, and even some formerly important ones are falling into disuse. Ultimately, it’s likely that only English and Mandarin Chinese will survive in terms of commonly spoken languages or languages of the scientist and scholar. So choose well!



John F. Copper is a professor of international studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.

http://www.clta-gny.org/top10.htm

French is over in America !!!!!
French is over in America !!!!!
French is over in America !!!!!
French is over in America !!!!!
French is over in America !!!!!
Xie   Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:53 pm GMT
Admins:

Well, as you may probably notice...

discussions of this kind often............ get stupid very soon.
Mandarn gaining popularit   Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:58 pm GMT
Mandarin gaining popularity, French losing

For a long time, I have held the view that China is going to dominate the world as an economic power during the next few decades. Relating this to languages, I enjoy discussing whether this will create a change in terms of using English as a business medium.

My conclusion in the past has been, unfortunately, that it is far more likely for the Chinese to learn English than vice versa. This is simply because I believe they are becoming more international in their business thinking and have already established it in their school system.

However, this news article talks about how a US school is replacing its French lessons with Mandarin. Will this become more common in English speaking schools so students can compete in the new global economy? Will European languages lose even further due to the European Union and the greater use of English within it?

Stay tuned to find out.

http://www.canyouspeak.com/?p=21
Guest   Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:10 pm GMT
<<In 2050, YOUR COUNTRY WILL BE THE POOREST IN THE WORLD AND YOUR CHILDRENS WILL EMIGRATE TO FRANCOPHONE AFRICA !!!!>>

FALSE!!

FRANCOPHONE AFRICA EMIGRATE TO SPAIN !!!
FRANCOPHONE AFRICA EMIGRATE TO SPAIN !!!
FRANCOPHONE AFRICA EMIGRATE TO SPAIN !!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CCcc7ea3DGg

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ckD0keTxnEk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4sSuG-9i6TU
Sapanish in France   Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:27 pm GMT
Hoy en día en nuestro país dos de cada tres alumnos eligen el español como segunda lengua. Podemos preguntarnos en qué se basa este gusto y esta afición a lo hispano que existen desde hace unos 20 años..

La expansión del español coincide en gran medida con un auge del interés por lo hispánico en Francia, en Europa y también en el mundo entero por la influencia de cantantes, actores, novelistas , deportistas, etc..,de estrellas hispanohablantes. Entre las más conocidas en España cabe destacar a Ricky Martín, Julio y Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer López, Antonio Banderas, Pedro Almodóvar, Victoria Abril, Miguel Induráin y, ...,otros muchos.

La importancia estratégica del español en el futuro económico, político y cultural es otra ventaja de la elección del español como segunda lengua en Francia, así como su cercanía geográfica.

No es "sólo" la lengua de las vacaciones. Está claro que España -y las islas en particular- es uno de los destinos preferidos de los turistas franceses, pero también los países latinoamericanos como Cuba, La República Dominicana, …,atraen a muchos franceses. Sin embargo, al turista francés le cuesta mucho hablar la lengua del país en el que está veraneando aunque la haya aprendido en el colegio o en el instituto, porque le parece normal que en el hotel o en las tiendas se les conteste en su lengua sin que tenga que hacer un gran esfuerzo para comprenderla.

Hablada por más de 400 millones de personas, el español es la tercera lengua del mundo después del chino y del inglés y adquiere cada vez más peso en los Estados Unidos. Así, hablar español es permitir descubrir el mundo hispano : España y los países de habla hispana, o sea, más de 20 países con culturas diferentes pero con un pasado histórico común y unidos por su lengua : el castellano.

http://es.geocities.com/carabu5/webs/espanol.htm
Guest   Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:50 pm GMT
Finland loves Los Serrano!, which it seems incredible to me.
Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyxE98qIvRw
Fran Perea in Helsinki : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4pzxXz2CHU&feature=related
Guest   Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:04 pm GMT
Los Serrano es una mierda y Fran Perea también.
Guest   Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:12 pm GMT
Si no te digo que no, lo que te digo es que me parece increible que guste en Finlandia.
<<http://es.geocities.com/carabu5/webs/espanol.htm >>
Me ha gustado mucho esta parte.Gracias por el link,perdón, enlace.
¡A VER SI HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL..!
Desde que las insignias se llaman pins, las comidas frías lunchs, y los repartos de cine castings, este país no es el mismo, ahora es mucho, muchísimo más moderno. Antaño los niños leían tebeos en vez de comics, los estudiantes pegaban posters creyendo que eran carteles, los empresarios hacían negocios en vez de business, y los obreros, tan ordinarios ellos, sacaban la fiambrera al mediodía en vez del tupperware. Yo, en el colegio, hice aerobic muchas veces, pero, tonta de mí creía que hacía gimnasia. Nadie es realmente moderno si no dice cada día cien palabras en inglés. Las cosas, en otro idioma, nos suenan mucho mejor. Evidentemente, no es lo mismo decir bacon que panceta, aunque tengan la misma grasa, ni vestíbulo que hall, ni inconveniente que handicap...
Desde ese punto de vista, los españoles somos modernísimos. Ya no decimos bizcocho, sino plum-cake, ni tenemos sentimientos, sino feelings. Sacamos tickets, compramos compacts, comemos sandwiches, vamos al pub, practicamos el rappel y el raffting, en lugar de acampar hacemos camping y, cuando vienen los fríos, nos limpiamos los mocos con Kleenex. Esos cambios de lenguaje han influido en nuestras costumbres y han mejorado mucho nuestro aspecto. Las mujeres no usan medias, sino panties y los hombres no utilizan calzoncillos, sino slips, y después de afeitarse se echan after shave, que deja la cara mucho más fresca que el tónico. El español moderno ya no corre, porque correr es de cobardes, pero hace footing; no estudia, pero hace masters y nunca consigue aparcar pero siempre encuentra un parking.
El mercado ahora es el marketing; el autoservicio, el self-service; el escalafón, el ranking y el representante, el manager. Los importantes son vips, los auriculares walkman, los puestos de venta stands, los ejecutivos yuppies; las niñeras baby-sitters, y hasta nannies, cuando el hablante moderno es, además, un pijo irredento. En la oficina, el jefe está siempre en meetings o brain storms, casi siempre con la public-relations, mientras la asistant envía mailings y organiza trainings; luego se irá al gimnasio a hacer gim-jazz, y se encontrará con todas las de la jet, que vienen de hacerse liftings, y con alguna top-model amante del yogurth light y el body-fitness.
El arcaico aperitivo ha dado paso a los cocktails, donde se hartan de bitter y de roast-beef que, aunque parezca lo mismo, engorda mucho menos que la carne. Ustedes, sin ir más lejos, trabajan en un magazine, no en un programa. En la tele, cuando el presentador dice varias veces la palabra OK y baila como un trompo por el escenario, la cosa se llama show, bien distinto, como saben ustedes, del anticuado espectáculo; si el show es heavy es que contiene carnaza y si es reality parece el difunto diario El Caso, pero en moderno.
Entremedio, por supuesto, ya no ponen anuncios, sino spots que, aparte de ser mejores, te permiten hacer zapping. Estas cosas enriquecen mucho. Para ser ricos del todo, y quitarnos el complejo tercermundista que tuvimos en otros tiempos, sólo nos queda decir con acento americano la única palabra que el español ha exportado al mundo: la palabra SIESTA.

Lo que no estoy de acuerdo es : ¡Que pasa con la palabra FIESTA!
and we export other words. Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_(Bleach)
huesped   Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:14 am GMT
<< CHINESE LANGUAGE IS TAKING OVER HISPANIC AMERICA!!!! >>

Uh, Ok. I find this to be funny. By your logic, any country that provides the opportunity to learn Chinese and has some students that are very interested in Chinese, then Chinese is somehow taking over that country.
Here's a new flash for you: Chinese has become more popular in many countries. I'm pretty sure that there are programs to learn Chinese in France and of course some motivated students there. Does that mean that Chinese is taking over France???

Oh yeah, even if Chinese does become seriously studied language in Latin America, then that just mean there will that many LESS students learning French. English will continue to be popular and maybe Portuguese will become more popular. So, if Chinese comes up, then it will squeeze out French. This is bad news for French if you think about it.
Guest   Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:10 am GMT
To to person who keeps posting shit about Ghana in support of French: It doesn't really matter what happens in Ghana or even the rest of the African Francophone. Wow, French is being used in Ghana! Big deal. Is that the best you can do?
mac   Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:17 am GMT
<< Ultimately, it’s likely that only English and Mandarin Chinese will survive in terms of commonly spoken languages or languages of the scientist and scholar. So choose well! >>

And after how many years exactly? Quite a long time IF that would ever happen. For science it is possible eventually, but other big common languages won't disappear. Strong national and regional languages will ''survive'' just fine.
huesped   Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:26 am GMT
<< My conclusion in the past has been, unfortunately, that it is far more likely for the Chinese to learn English than vice versa. >>

Why unfortunately?

When it comes down to it, English IS easier and more convenient for the majority of people to learn. Especially the writing. Another thing, you can see English all over Asia nowadays and tones of people in China are learning it for a reason. I believe Chinese will gain in popularity, but not to the point of English, which is too well established internationally and is imbedded in about everything now.
Guest   Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:23 am GMT
Chinese may gain popularity, but here is the difference:

Those people, though increased in number, who speak Chinese fluently will still only be Chinese language majors. You wont have doctors, scientists, etc speaking Chinese 'on the side'.
Guest   Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:30 am GMT
Top 5 Languages to Study:

1.) English - Global language; Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of native and foreign speakers.
2.) French - Global language; Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of native, near native/secondary and foreign speakers.
3.) Russian - Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of native speakers.
4.) German - Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of foreign speakers.
5.) Italian - Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Substantial number of foreign speakers.

Spanish, Chinese and Hindi no because they lack prestige.

Chinese and Hindi speakers just copy technologies form other countries and their economy depends on the investments from real industrial countries that when the are pulled up, the economy of the 2 countries would collapse.

Spanish speaking countries on the other hand have malignant economies because of the culture of corruption plus the indolence of it's people hamper economic growth and it will remain poorer. Yes poorer than Francophone Africa. Besides they do not have the capacity to develop technology Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
America Hates Spanish   Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:33 am GMT
Top 5 Languages to Study:

1.) English - Global language; Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of native and foreign speakers.
2.) French - Global language; Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of native, near native/secondary and foreign speakers.
3.) Russian - Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of native speakers.
4.) German - Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Large number of foreign speakers.
5.) Italian - Huge contribution in science, technology, arts, literature, and arts. Substantial number of foreign speakers.

Spanish, Chinese and Hindi no because they lack prestige.

Chinese and Hindi speakers just copy technologies form other countries and their economy depends on the investments from real industrial countries that when the are pulled up, the economy of the 2 countries would collapse.

Spanish speaking countries on the other hand have malignant economies because of the culture of corruption plus the indolence of it's people hamper economic growth and it will remain poorer. Yes poorer than Francophone Africa. Besides they do not have the capacity to develop technology Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.