Also - French could be a potential language if France allows it's South American terrorities into the South American union. Currently it's part of the EU.
The upcoming Union of South American Nations
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French territories in South America are part of France. It would be France which would join the South American Union. I find it more interesting that Quebec joins a kind of a Latin American Union.
<<The ONLY reason English is an official language of UNASUR is because Guyana is a member state. Guyana's official language is English. So if it weren't for that, there isn't a chance in a million English would be official in a region dominated by 2 powerful world languages.>>
Neither are world languages, neither are anywhere as important as English. English is official in UNASUR because of Guyana but also because millions of South Americans speak English and millions more are learning it. South American politicians want the people in their respective countries to learn English for their own good. This is the first step. What language do you think is going to dominate at UNASUR meetings? English. Why, because it's neutral. It is above of the whole Spanish vs. Portuguese war.
Neither are world languages, neither are anywhere as important as English. English is official in UNASUR because of Guyana but also because millions of South Americans speak English and millions more are learning it. South American politicians want the people in their respective countries to learn English for their own good. This is the first step. What language do you think is going to dominate at UNASUR meetings? English. Why, because it's neutral. It is above of the whole Spanish vs. Portuguese war.
It is above of the whole Spanish vs. Portuguese war.
There is not such war. English is not an official language of Mercosur. Spanish and Portuguese spekers can understand to each other without using English. English is useless in South America.
There is not such war. English is not an official language of Mercosur. Spanish and Portuguese spekers can understand to each other without using English. English is useless in South America.
<<Neither are world languages, neither are anywhere as important as English. English is official in UNASUR because of Guyana but also because millions of South Americans speak English and millions more are learning it. South American politicians want the people in their respective countries to learn English for their own good. This is the first step. What language do you think is going to dominate at UNASUR meetings? English. Why, because it's neutral. It is above of the whole Spanish vs. Portuguese war.>>
You are completely overestimating the importance of English. Ok, I admitt that Spanish and Portuguese are REGIONAL languages, but UNASUR IS a regional bloc, and these languages are UNIVERSAL in this region and it would be completely nonsensical for them to speak English at a meeting where they ALL understand eachother. If a few politicians don't understand then you only need 4 different translators! NOT 30 or whatever in the EU! THAT IS NOT VERY BIG A HURDLE!
It's unbelievable the arrogance of some English speakers. The rest of the world CAN PERFECTLY WELL manage without English. English has only been important for 50 years as a global langauge. Everyone managed without it before then, they can manage now too.
Oh and by the way, English is not neutral in Latin America. Many people dislike English because the USA has been exploiting their countries for many years.
You are completely overestimating the importance of English. Ok, I admitt that Spanish and Portuguese are REGIONAL languages, but UNASUR IS a regional bloc, and these languages are UNIVERSAL in this region and it would be completely nonsensical for them to speak English at a meeting where they ALL understand eachother. If a few politicians don't understand then you only need 4 different translators! NOT 30 or whatever in the EU! THAT IS NOT VERY BIG A HURDLE!
It's unbelievable the arrogance of some English speakers. The rest of the world CAN PERFECTLY WELL manage without English. English has only been important for 50 years as a global langauge. Everyone managed without it before then, they can manage now too.
Oh and by the way, English is not neutral in Latin America. Many people dislike English because the USA has been exploiting their countries for many years.
A few days ago by casualty I listened to a Brazilian preacher in a radio station and I understood around 85% of what he said. I'm a native Spanish speaker and never studied Portuguese . On the other hand I have studied English for 5 years in school and I can hardly understand normal converstions in English when I listen to TV or Youtube. Imagine if I studied Portuguese during a semester at least. I would get 100% of it for sure. English would make things more difficult if it was a working language of the South American Union. Even relations with Israel (an associated member of Mercosur) are carried in Spanish and Portuguese. English is not necessary.
You're not following me. Perhaps within South America, Spanish and Portuguese are sufficient, but this isn't an isolated world anymore. English is universal and if South America or UNASUR wants to have political and economic relations with the rest of the world, they're going to have to embrace English. Cry about it, but it's the truth. It has nothing to do with arrogance.
They will interact with the rest of the world in the same way any country now interacts with other coutnries. So if they don't have a common language they will probably communicate through English, yes that's true. What I dont'agree with is this statement.
<<What language do you think is going to dominate at UNASUR meetings? English. Why, because it's neutral. It is above of the whole Spanish vs. Portuguese war.>>
At a UNASUR meeting why would they speak English? At an international summit, maybe, but a UNASUR meeting is between UNASUR members. ALL OF WHICH SPEAK SPANISH OR PORTUGUESE.
I speak to my next door neighbours in our native language. We both speak English though, but it would be ridiculous for me to go over and speak English with them, I can't even imagine how ridiculous and awkward it would be for both of us.
<<What language do you think is going to dominate at UNASUR meetings? English. Why, because it's neutral. It is above of the whole Spanish vs. Portuguese war.>>
At a UNASUR meeting why would they speak English? At an international summit, maybe, but a UNASUR meeting is between UNASUR members. ALL OF WHICH SPEAK SPANISH OR PORTUGUESE.
I speak to my next door neighbours in our native language. We both speak English though, but it would be ridiculous for me to go over and speak English with them, I can't even imagine how ridiculous and awkward it would be for both of us.
Wow!!!!! Only a big World language like Spanish is official in 6 different economic groups: European Union, NAFTA, UNASUR, Antarctic Treaty, African Union and Central American Common Market.
Only English is more important than Spanish in the economic scene.
Only English is more important than Spanish in the economic scene.
<<You're not following me. Perhaps within South America, Spanish and Portuguese are sufficient, but this isn't an isolated world anymore. English is universal and if South America or UNASUR wants to have political and economic relations with the rest of the world, they're going to have to embrace English. Cry about it, but it's the truth. It has nothing to do with arrogance.>>
WHAT GREAT LIE, still using drugs?. UNASUR don't need English for having relations with other countries o regions, only needs Spanish and Portuguese.
Central America: Spanish is spoken in all countries as mother tongue even in belize where is not official but becoming official in a few years.
Caribe: Spanish is the most important language in this area, only in Puerto Rico there are more users of spanish that english users in all countries where english is official (Jamaica, Antigua y Barbuda, San Cristóbal y Nieves, San Vicente y las Granadinas). Even in Trinidad y Tobago, where english is official, spanish WILL BE OFFICIAL IN 2020 http://www.tradeind.gov.tt/SIS/FAQ.htm
North America: Spanish is the second most important language in this area, with more that 170 millons of speakers. Is the second language more useful in US (official in some states and with special status in the almost all of states. Even in Canada, with english and french as official languages, spanish is displacing french language in the preferences of students in the provinces more remote from quebec (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba).
Europe: Spanish and portuguese are spoken in iberian peninsula as first language. The both languages are official in EU. Special mention for the Spanish. There are more that 30 millons of european citizens that speak spanish as second or foreign language (Special Eurobarometer 243, EU) http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_243_en.pdf . More that 15% of europeans speak spanish. This dates are of 2005, now in 2008, the knowledge of spanish is more important, speciality in countries like france, italy, portugal or germany (becoming more and more important) but also in central and east europe. Spanish is studied not only in university but also is being studied in primary and secondary schools.
Nort Africa: Spanish is considered one of the most useful languages in this region. Spanish is spoken as mother tongue in spanish enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and plazas de soberanía http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plazas_de_soberan%C3%ADa . In all north of morocco spanish is a history language and very understood by the mallory of people http://www.marruecosdigital.net/xoops/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=1198
(written by Mohamed Failali, he is from morocco, of course)
http://www.ridingplanet.com/index.php?id=37&backPID=28&tt_news=34
(look at the photos, in one of then you can read "MATADERO" spanish word, this happend because north morocco is closer to andalucia that to rabat. You can live in Tánger or Tetuan with only spanish. In west Sahara spanish is understood by all saharauis, only settlers that come from rabat do not understand Spanish. In argelia spanish is understood too, in fact, argelians can watch spanish TV (the same in morocco) and they see spanish football "La Liga" especially the matches between Real Madrid and Barça. If you travel by all the Mediterranean coasts of northern africa, you will find people of all kinds that can communicate in Spanish. In tunisia there's not tourist areas where Spanish is not spoken, and the same in cities more distant from the coast. In Egypt, the Spanish language is becoming language of prestigious, in fact some Spanish cooks (considered the best in the world) moving to Cairo to teach Spanish cooking to the Egyptians and then this Egyptians open restaurants where the letter is written in Spanish.
West Africa: In this region there are to much people that speak spanish or portuguese. Potuguese is official in Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Spanish is official and spoken in Canary Islands, ecuatorial guinea and SADR. This places where this languages dominance have potencial for gown thanks to the natural resources. Special mencion for Ecualtorial Guinea, EG is the third largest producer of oil in africa only surpassed by nigeria and angola. Portuguese and Spanish are growing in students in all west africa. In senegal, for example, spanish is the foreign language most studied (then english and then portuguese) because young people dream with emigrate to spain through the fence of Ceuta and Melilla, or through the Canary Islands and the same case for the rest of undeveloped west africa (Mali, Niger, Liberia, Benin...) http://youtube.com/watch?v=JW8MxbpwDVQ&feature=related
In Côte d'Ivoire spanish and portuguese are very popular.
Southern Africa: In this region portuguese is official in Angola and Mozambique. Portuguese is becoming the most importand language in the region. There are more native of portuguese that of english and this situation will increase in the next decades. Portuguese speaking countries are growing in population very fast and have potencial for dominance economic, social, political even military all southern Africa. Special mention for Angola. Angola will be the most important country of the region (will overtake to south africa) and with nigeria will dominate all Sub-Saharan Africa.
Middle East: In this region, portuguese and spanish have to much potencial for grow, speciality spanish. Spanish had never been spoken in Lebanon, but now that there are more than 1000 Spanish peacekeeping soldiers in UNO mission, many citizens of southern Lebanon are learning Spanish to communicate with Spanish peacekeepers.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iy0osgfJbeM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HQilSpZUKAw&feature=related
"En mi última visita asistí a la inauguración de un “centro cívico y militar” instalado en una casona de Marjayun y recorrí las aulas de una escuela donde sus alumnos, cristianos, pero también algunos musulmanes, aprendían español. Sus profesores son oficiales hispanos de la Finul que voluntariamente, en sus horas libres, les enseñan los rudimentos de nuestra lengua." http://www.magazinedigital.com/reportajes/sociedad/reportaje/cnt_id/575/pageID/3
http://blogs.20minutos.es/enguerra/post/2007/08/27/banderas-espaaaolas-el-sur-laabano
Spanish also is spoken in Israel and Turkey by the descendants of Spanish Jews who were expelled from Spain in the year 1492. some of them live in Istanbul but the most of them live in Israel. There are jews who came from Argentina or Mexico too and spanish is probably the language that arouses more sympathy among the people. In rich oil coutries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates spanish is also very popular thanks to the devotion that these people have for the football team Real Madrid. Special mention for Iran. In Iran spanish is considered the language of resistance to U.S rule. Thanks to the excellent relations that exist between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hugo Chávez (presidents of Iran and venezuela respectively) in iran is going to start teaching Spanish at a level much more seriously than ever, in fact, spanish is the most important language in the universities of Iran (all of them are full of people) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5354812.stm
South Asia: In this region, india is by far the most important country. Portuguese is still spoken in Goa and Daman and Diu http://www.colaco.net/1/port.htm and spanish is becoming the second europen language more important after english.
http://www.sharedxpertise.com/file/1568/is-spanish-new-language-of-bpo.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/30301632.cms
South East Asia: Portuguese is official in the new stade of east Timor and is studied in Indonesia or Australia (is truth that very few study it, but that is because until recently no one studied it. Also in Macau is official and all public signs are in chinese and portuguese. In Malacca, a great number of people speak a dialect of portuguese. Spanish, like in the rest of the world, is becoming lingua franca in a great number of places. Spanish will be official in Filipinas when reduces successfully the influence of united states in the country. Now is required to study Spanish so when train all teachers needed, will begin with the teaching of Spanish on a large scale in the country, something similar at brazil, first a period of time to train all teachers, 5 years like in brazil, and after his, study on a large scale at all levels and professional levels. Spanish is studied also in Australia, is in the third position, but in the coming years will be the language most studied and understood in the country. Spanish in gaining importance in the countries of east asia thanks to the ASEAN. Only english is offical in ASEAN but with the incorporation of spanish speaking coutries of the Americas, this language will be official in lest that 20 years. In conclusion, let me say that the foreign ministry of Australia and New Zealand are predicting that Chinese and Spanish are the languages that will grow a lot in East asia and will have the same status in the region that the English
WHAT GREAT LIE, still using drugs?. UNASUR don't need English for having relations with other countries o regions, only needs Spanish and Portuguese.
Central America: Spanish is spoken in all countries as mother tongue even in belize where is not official but becoming official in a few years.
Caribe: Spanish is the most important language in this area, only in Puerto Rico there are more users of spanish that english users in all countries where english is official (Jamaica, Antigua y Barbuda, San Cristóbal y Nieves, San Vicente y las Granadinas). Even in Trinidad y Tobago, where english is official, spanish WILL BE OFFICIAL IN 2020 http://www.tradeind.gov.tt/SIS/FAQ.htm
North America: Spanish is the second most important language in this area, with more that 170 millons of speakers. Is the second language more useful in US (official in some states and with special status in the almost all of states. Even in Canada, with english and french as official languages, spanish is displacing french language in the preferences of students in the provinces more remote from quebec (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba).
Europe: Spanish and portuguese are spoken in iberian peninsula as first language. The both languages are official in EU. Special mention for the Spanish. There are more that 30 millons of european citizens that speak spanish as second or foreign language (Special Eurobarometer 243, EU) http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_243_en.pdf . More that 15% of europeans speak spanish. This dates are of 2005, now in 2008, the knowledge of spanish is more important, speciality in countries like france, italy, portugal or germany (becoming more and more important) but also in central and east europe. Spanish is studied not only in university but also is being studied in primary and secondary schools.
Nort Africa: Spanish is considered one of the most useful languages in this region. Spanish is spoken as mother tongue in spanish enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and plazas de soberanía http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plazas_de_soberan%C3%ADa . In all north of morocco spanish is a history language and very understood by the mallory of people http://www.marruecosdigital.net/xoops/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=1198
(written by Mohamed Failali, he is from morocco, of course)
http://www.ridingplanet.com/index.php?id=37&backPID=28&tt_news=34
(look at the photos, in one of then you can read "MATADERO" spanish word, this happend because north morocco is closer to andalucia that to rabat. You can live in Tánger or Tetuan with only spanish. In west Sahara spanish is understood by all saharauis, only settlers that come from rabat do not understand Spanish. In argelia spanish is understood too, in fact, argelians can watch spanish TV (the same in morocco) and they see spanish football "La Liga" especially the matches between Real Madrid and Barça. If you travel by all the Mediterranean coasts of northern africa, you will find people of all kinds that can communicate in Spanish. In tunisia there's not tourist areas where Spanish is not spoken, and the same in cities more distant from the coast. In Egypt, the Spanish language is becoming language of prestigious, in fact some Spanish cooks (considered the best in the world) moving to Cairo to teach Spanish cooking to the Egyptians and then this Egyptians open restaurants where the letter is written in Spanish.
West Africa: In this region there are to much people that speak spanish or portuguese. Potuguese is official in Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Spanish is official and spoken in Canary Islands, ecuatorial guinea and SADR. This places where this languages dominance have potencial for gown thanks to the natural resources. Special mencion for Ecualtorial Guinea, EG is the third largest producer of oil in africa only surpassed by nigeria and angola. Portuguese and Spanish are growing in students in all west africa. In senegal, for example, spanish is the foreign language most studied (then english and then portuguese) because young people dream with emigrate to spain through the fence of Ceuta and Melilla, or through the Canary Islands and the same case for the rest of undeveloped west africa (Mali, Niger, Liberia, Benin...) http://youtube.com/watch?v=JW8MxbpwDVQ&feature=related
In Côte d'Ivoire spanish and portuguese are very popular.
Southern Africa: In this region portuguese is official in Angola and Mozambique. Portuguese is becoming the most importand language in the region. There are more native of portuguese that of english and this situation will increase in the next decades. Portuguese speaking countries are growing in population very fast and have potencial for dominance economic, social, political even military all southern Africa. Special mention for Angola. Angola will be the most important country of the region (will overtake to south africa) and with nigeria will dominate all Sub-Saharan Africa.
Middle East: In this region, portuguese and spanish have to much potencial for grow, speciality spanish. Spanish had never been spoken in Lebanon, but now that there are more than 1000 Spanish peacekeeping soldiers in UNO mission, many citizens of southern Lebanon are learning Spanish to communicate with Spanish peacekeepers.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iy0osgfJbeM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HQilSpZUKAw&feature=related
"En mi última visita asistí a la inauguración de un “centro cívico y militar” instalado en una casona de Marjayun y recorrí las aulas de una escuela donde sus alumnos, cristianos, pero también algunos musulmanes, aprendían español. Sus profesores son oficiales hispanos de la Finul que voluntariamente, en sus horas libres, les enseñan los rudimentos de nuestra lengua." http://www.magazinedigital.com/reportajes/sociedad/reportaje/cnt_id/575/pageID/3
http://blogs.20minutos.es/enguerra/post/2007/08/27/banderas-espaaaolas-el-sur-laabano
Spanish also is spoken in Israel and Turkey by the descendants of Spanish Jews who were expelled from Spain in the year 1492. some of them live in Istanbul but the most of them live in Israel. There are jews who came from Argentina or Mexico too and spanish is probably the language that arouses more sympathy among the people. In rich oil coutries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates spanish is also very popular thanks to the devotion that these people have for the football team Real Madrid. Special mention for Iran. In Iran spanish is considered the language of resistance to U.S rule. Thanks to the excellent relations that exist between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hugo Chávez (presidents of Iran and venezuela respectively) in iran is going to start teaching Spanish at a level much more seriously than ever, in fact, spanish is the most important language in the universities of Iran (all of them are full of people) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5354812.stm
South Asia: In this region, india is by far the most important country. Portuguese is still spoken in Goa and Daman and Diu http://www.colaco.net/1/port.htm and spanish is becoming the second europen language more important after english.
http://www.sharedxpertise.com/file/1568/is-spanish-new-language-of-bpo.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/30301632.cms
South East Asia: Portuguese is official in the new stade of east Timor and is studied in Indonesia or Australia (is truth that very few study it, but that is because until recently no one studied it. Also in Macau is official and all public signs are in chinese and portuguese. In Malacca, a great number of people speak a dialect of portuguese. Spanish, like in the rest of the world, is becoming lingua franca in a great number of places. Spanish will be official in Filipinas when reduces successfully the influence of united states in the country. Now is required to study Spanish so when train all teachers needed, will begin with the teaching of Spanish on a large scale in the country, something similar at brazil, first a period of time to train all teachers, 5 years like in brazil, and after his, study on a large scale at all levels and professional levels. Spanish is studied also in Australia, is in the third position, but in the coming years will be the language most studied and understood in the country. Spanish in gaining importance in the countries of east asia thanks to the ASEAN. Only english is offical in ASEAN but with the incorporation of spanish speaking coutries of the Americas, this language will be official in lest that 20 years. In conclusion, let me say that the foreign ministry of Australia and New Zealand are predicting that Chinese and Spanish are the languages that will grow a lot in East asia and will have the same status in the region that the English
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