What is the official language of the European Union?

Paul   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 15:38 GMT
Quebec City is the coldest place in the Winter. North of Montreal. Very Historical. And Chateau Frontenac is a real Castle. They have a nice Winter Festival in January.
Toni   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 16:19 GMT
People talk about languages, and then, surprise! is politics that come.

If we did believe that the European Union is also about understanding, tolerance, and forgetting about old and silly nationalist pride, then we would probbably agree that English is the most suitable language.
Dutch   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 16:57 GMT
Prague is the most beautiful city I have seen in Europe.
vincent   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 17:25 GMT
Désolé les gars mais on dérive du sujet (je sais, quel rabat-joie je suis!).We're moving far from our original theme.I suppose it means there's no real answer to that first question.I'd like to propone latin as symbolic language of our european identity but i'm already hearing some of you shouting and threaten me.... hahahaha.Well it seems we've exhausted the theme.

by the ways, per los que son de Tolosa es plan normal que se ditz que aquesta ciutat es pas francesa: es occitana coma Lemotges, Clarmont, Marselha, Bordeu, Niça, etc...
Damian   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 18:46 GMT
Hey..let's compromise...how about changing the official language of the EU every...year?...every 5 years?....using all the constituent member languages in turn.....having a lottery for the starter language, then proceeding alphabetically or something? Dutch...English..Finnish...French....German....and so on,

When we get to the end we start all over again. Is that fair?

Well...it's only an idea! Ok I'm silly, but tomorrow is Midsummer Night and we all have a Dream and see fairies all over the place. There is a guy I know near here who looks a bit like Oberon. Or is it Mustard Seed?
Bloom   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 19:30 GMT

Ah, Bordèu: "Lo vin de Bordèu es lo plus bèu". "The wine from Bordeaux is the most beautiful".
Dulcinea del Toboso   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 20:05 GMT
Damian,

My "boring" comment seems to have been misunderstood. First, to me grammar is fascinating - it is the main aspect of language that I enjoy. What I have been trying to say, unsuccessfully, is that *English* grammar is boring (to me). English has lost almost all of its inflections and has simplified its pronouns and verbs (compared to Old English). When I study a language such as Hungarian or Arabic or even Icelandic, the grammars of those languages are pure heaven to me.

As for the diversity or variety of English words, being that we received so many Latin based ones, again this is a personal preference, but I would have preferred if we had retained a Norse or Germanic vocabulary instead. I really don't like the Latin influence on the language. I'm not entirely alone in this: a few websites have (jokingly or not) tried to reconstruct English as if the Norman Conquest had never happened and at least one short story has been written and published in such a language.
Xatufan   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 02:34 GMT
Thank you! Well, Huelveños' accent is not so beautiful...
nic   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 07:09 GMT
If all the people who are from Occitany in France complain about the fact they're not french, if alsacians, flemmish, bretons do the same. The answer is simple, France will be a very small country with l'Angevin, la Normandie et le Berry!

Quelle farce!

Well apart that i think we can talk about what we want Guys, can't we?!
I think we can trust MJD to judge what's unfair.

Toni,


There's nothing politic but curiosity.

A language for the european community? It's english, isn't it?

Damian, your idea is interesting and i propose to all europeans to begin with celtic language. Which one, welsh and breton or scottish and irish?

We will propose it to the next european session.
nic   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 07:10 GMT
Bloom,



The wine from Burgundy is good too. And now, the Côtes du Rhone are nicer than in the past.
Damian   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 08:01 GMT
Nic:

Right, as you suggest we will convene...all the Celtic members and call it the Celtic Union and decide which of them is to take precedence...have the same alternating system among the Celtics....a Union within a Union.... LOL

Yes, we will make a proposition in Strasbourg and demand that it is adopted.

You know, Nic, we would make good international diplomats, mon ami.
nic   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 08:15 GMT
Why don't we create a language made of all languages you can dispose in Europe, something like :


slavatinelticermanic = slave latin celtic germanic


I propose the st word :

Hebo! for hi!

hello bonjour buongiorno buenosdias


Au revoir mon ami
Mi5 Mick   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 08:46 GMT
Some proposals to Nic's idea:

Hooha, hebo - hey, hi, etc
Bwoun Deyos - Good day.
Taudi - today
Taunwi - tonight
Ato revwisto - See you later.
How are you? - Comestu?
Qwat? - What?
Qwesit? - What is it?
What time is it? - Qwel temp qwesit?
mion amate - my friend, mate.
get lost/stuffed - vat f'lostre
Axel   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 08:49 GMT
We should find a name to our new language, mates!
Axel   Thursday, June 24, 2004, 08:54 GMT
Well, Slavatinelticermani is good enough, don't you think? (a bit hard to pronounce but it doesn't matter!)