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| [rant]why do english/chinese companies don't give a damn about other languages.. |
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| Cerebus:
--- Quote from: AntiProtonBoy on September 22, 2016, 12:51:16 am ---Germany? When did that change? When I was going to school there back in the 80s, English was a required subject. --- End quote --- I have literally never met a German who couldn't manage at least a basic conversation in English, and I've met a *lot* of Germans. I've met Turkish Gastarbeiter* in Germany who could only speak Turkish or German, but no native Germans who couldn't at least manage directions to the Hauptbahnhaus or similar in English. *If you've been to Germany you could be forgiven for thinking that Gastarbeiter was German for taxi driver, but it isn't. |
| John Coloccia:
Having traveled all over, for work and other reasons, one thing I've come to understand is a LOT of people speak English. Older generations, not so much. Young folks? Almost everyone seems to have a working knowledge, and as time progresses I think English will basically become the default language, much like what Esperanto wanted to be. These days, the only thing Esperanto is good for is sitting around talking about how wonderful it is that 5 other people know Esperanto. Would have been better if another language was "the one", as English really quite terrible in many ways, but that's just how it is I think. I suspect the only reason so many manuals are in Chinese at all is that they start out in Chinese. But I always find it amusing when I travel to a foreign country, be it Europe or Asia, and notice so many signs are in English. That always seems a little odd to me. I will say that France and Germany seem to be exceptions to this. Switzerland too in some respects. They seem to be more firmly attached to their own culture. |
| Richard Crowley:
One of my favorite PBS documentaries from back in the 1980s. "The Story of English" with Robert MacNeil. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6D54D1C7DAE31B36 At that time the largest English-speaking country (and the country pubishing the most English language books, magazines, etc.) was India. Post cold-war, things have probably changed. But the history is interesting nonetheless. |
| Cerebus:
--- Quote from: Richard Crowley on September 22, 2016, 09:23:07 pm ---At that time the largest English-speaking country (and the country pubishing the most English language books, magazines, etc.) was India. Post cold-war, things have probably changed. --- End quote --- I doubt it. English is still an official language in Indian and is the Lingua Franca for all non-Hindi speaking Indians. Indian courts work in English. Remember that there are about a dozen languages in common use in Indian - there is a long history (dating back all the way to independence) of resistance to the use of Hindi as the only official language as that would severely disadvantage the non-Hindi speakers. |
| Macbeth:
I was quite amused at a nice torrent I found - all the Elektor magazines from 1974 to 1990. Apparently the early editions are UK but the collector realised the Indian edition was exactly the same and much cheaper too way back in 1984. The only difference are the adverts - replace Edgware Road, London with Chunam Road, Bombay :-DD Hang on, that's Mumbai now isn't it? But yes, I can confirm the Indian version of Elektor magazine is totally English. |
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