English Speakers Tend Not To Be Multilingual

[PeterTBCarp2]

Call it Anglo-Saxon-Celtic hegemony, or arrogance, if you will but English has pretty much become the Lingua Franca of the modern world. And being such a pervasive language it is rare to find those speaking it as a 'first language' able to speak another one.

Would it, therefore, be possible to help us by providing an automatic limitation to only English sub-sections of the forum for search operations? For those browsing the forum in English..

Yes, we could click around and select English, English, English, but computers do those things for us. It just shouldn't be necessary. Or, could we save our preferences (deeper than CCleaner can find)? In our signed-on profile, perhaps.

BTW, "It allows to:" that we see often in ghisler.com and Help is an incorrect English expression. It may suit Germnglish, but it don't in English.

[norfie²]

English has pretty much become the Lingua Franca

Germnglish, but it don't in English.

That is the disadvantage for native speakers of the Lingua Franca. Their language will be mutilated more and more. In the consequence native speakers don't know what is correct english. It don't or it doesn't?

[Vansumsen]

PeterTBCarp2

I hate the word «limitation»!

Paul

[PeterTBCarp2]

Umm...?

I understand that children in Germany and Switzerland - and in many other countries of the world - are taught English at school but does that education continue into tertiary phases after school?

Many people on this forum speak Germnglish but it's a long way removed from English itself. It's not always easy understanding what's going on in 'our own' sections.

Don't mention 'invasion'.

[PeterTBCarp2]

PeterTBCarp2

I hate the word «limitation»!

Paul

Paul:

Well, that's jolly spanking, Paul.

[HolgerK]

BTW, "It allows to:" that we see often in ghisler.com and Help is an incorrect English expression. It may suit Germnglish, but it don't in English.

BTW, the correct word is denglish.

Regards,
Holger

[JohnFredC]

That is the disadvantage for native speakers of the Lingua Franca. Their language will be mutilated more and more.

I prefer to think of language evolution and the trend toward a lingua franca in the modern world as evidence of the coming together of humanity and future erasure of the boundaries that separate us.

The fact that English has become lingua franca can be almost entirely blamed on the behaviors and policies of various European and Asian despots and dictators in the 20th century. English speaking peoples won all of the wars fought to depose those regimes and free so many from tyranny.

Unfortunately, the behaviors of individuals can change the course and pace of history for all of us.

[norfie²]

I prefer to think of language evolution

You're right that language is not a static monument but a living jungle. A lingua franca should help us to comprehend better other people because we are able to get firsthand informations.

On the other hand I know that my "English" is more German with english words than (good) English. I know that it is not easy understand - especially for native speakers. E.g. I prefer the english articles of Microsoft database to the automated German translated articles. The translations are not too bad but it is not a German which I able to read in the same speed like the english article.

[petermad]

BTW, the correct word is denglish.

Not for all of us - I for one speak danglish.

It don't or it doesn't?

it is rare to find those speaking it as a 'first language' able to speak another one

Are you one of them? - Just wondering, since you haven't stated your locaction.

[PeterTBCarp2]

What's your point, peter? It doesn't matter.
(No, I'm not.)

[petermad]

2PeterTBCarp2

My point is that out of 63734 users of this forum only about 1750 have stated a location, and out of them only about 150 have indicated that they come from native English speaking locations.

If more people stated where they come from, thus giving a clue to what language they speak, it would give a better basis for estimating whether moderations to the forum software is worthwhile.

[PeterTBCarp2]

Why assume in a website, www.totalcommander.com, whose primary language is English that the visitors are multi-lingual?

English is now the world's common language and, I assert, vastly more English-speaking people speak only English than it and any other(s).

So keep other languages out of a simple Search. Simple, surely?

Or set a cookie, or sumpin! Arrrgh. The forum is hugely below optimum.

[HolgerK]

Why assume in a website, www.totalcommander.com, whose primary language is English that the visitors are multi-lingual?

1. French: http://www.ghisler.com/accueil.htm
2. English: http://www.ghisler.com/index.htm
3. German: http://www.ghisler.com/deutsch.htm

What is the reason to assume that English is the main language?

Regards,
Holger

[Jordi]

What is the reason to assume that English is the main language?

Well, the index page might give a hint: http://www.ghisler.com/ But of course author, programme, users and visitors are multilingual.

[karlchen]

English is now the world's common language and, I assert, vastly more English-speaking people speak only English than it and any other(s).

Considering the fact that native Chinese speakers are by far more numerous than native English speakers, we might come to the conclusion that the main forum language should be changed to Chinese sooner or later.

Karl