Language Organizations

Language Institute   Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:51 pm GMT
Hi everybody!

I just want to get your opinion about the Alliance Française, British Councils, Instituto Cervantes, Goethe Institute, Società Dante Alighieri, and Instituto Camões .

Which of these organizations is the oldest and has the most offices in the world?

Any other organizations similar to these for Russian, Chinese, and Japanese?
youth   Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:46 am GMT
probably Alliance Française and Goethe Institute.

British council is shkrinking whilst the rest are expanding.
Guest   Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:28 am GMT
Hey youth, since you are so much knowlegeable about the Arabic language, doest it have an institute/organization/council similar to these to promote the Arabic language and culture?
John   Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:15 pm GMT
I read that Goethe Institut is closing 40 centres in Europe, because all people prefer English than German, even in Central Europe.

French Alliance Française is also closing several centres or changing fast. In Brazil, for instance, they don´t close centres because they learn...Spanish.

Spanish Instituto Cervantes has an important increase, even in Asia (new centres in Beijing, Delhi, Seoul and Tokyo). British Council has also a good health.

These organizations have the health of their languages.
Guest   Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:50 pm GMT
From what I read at the website, Instituto Cervantes is closin down in many countries particularly in Eastern Europe because people there prefer to study English, French, German, or Russian.

Alliance Française and Goethe Institut are strong in Asian countries because lots of people there are also interested on French and German . In fact every year, there are branches are being opened far more widespread than Instituto Cervantes.
Ornella   Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:12 pm GMT
I don´t think so. The last one is wrong. Tell us which is the webpage, please. I also think that Goethe and Alliance have more problems now than 20 years ago.

John is right, you like it or not.
Xie Z.A.   Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:25 pm GMT
Any sources proving the above statements so far?

Ok, in my country... if you check the websites of most org's mentioned, you'd probably find (of course, in the English version, if at all) that...

In China, Japanese as a language taught in org's is the most popular. Japan doesn't really have an org like Alliance Francaise; rather, many teaching companies open branches in, esp., bigger cities of the country. At my place, HK, the field tends to be quite saturated, but the demand is still quite high. The second would be French. French (Alliance) has the most "formal" teaching centers.. followed by German (Goethe) with less.

Well, I don't think there are any centers for Spanish and Portuguese, probably except Beijing. As for English.... it's always expanding. I may be biased, but I strongly believe that the first three languages I mentioned should be popular enough that centers won't close (and may expand). The country is still rapidly developing, and is in desperate need of talents, esp. those who know any of the first three.
John   Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:28 pm GMT
John   Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:33 pm GMT
In a margin of the first one (small letters) you can read what I said: Goethe is closing several centers (40 of them) and in Alliance are learning Spanish if they don´t want to close!!!
Xie Z.A.   Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:43 pm GMT
Supplement: my comment about Japanese is largely personal observation.. based on what people say (and who do take courses). By the same token, org's like the British Council may also be working well at least in HK, considering that many people want to take courses... despite the price.
Xie Z.A.   Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:47 pm GMT
Well, sorry, I'm afraid not everyone can read Spanish (I, at least). True, Spanish is on a rise in China, but I suspect it would become popular only after a couple of years and... after all, the Hispanic world is more remote from China, which is .. another story. Anyway, I think some pages in English would be helpful. :)
Guest   Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:07 pm GMT
The Hispanic World is not remote from China. Philipines is a hispanic country. Perhaps a sui generis one, since Spanish is not widely spoken, but learning Spanish helps to understand their culture with Hispanic roots. Anyway the Philipino Government is interested in reintroducing this language .
Adolfo   Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:13 pm GMT
Alliance Française teach Spanish? That sounds funny. Anyway Spanish does not need that because every month a new Instituto Cervantes is opens its doors .
youth   Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:34 pm GMT
I dont think i know that much of arabic. haha

but there are many regulators of the Arabic langauge the two oldest and most influential are the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cario and Damascus.

however, they really only operate within the Arab world. not like the other language insitutions that work international.
Guest   Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:15 am GMT
I've known people who went to Cervantes in some countries I visited but never to those others........There must a masonic plot to spead Spanish!!