Eurozone Sovereign Debt Crisis part 2 - Ireland

[southeastone]

http://languageknowledge.eu/

 

[dandelion]

there you see how much britain will humiliate itself to re-join the EU...

You Brexorcists, perados does have a point. As a member we can insist the EU recognises and gives equal standing to English. As a non member we will have to use whatever languages they choose. Just one of those little perks you want to give up.

 

[southeastone]

You Brexorcists, perados does have a point. As a member we can insist the EU recognises and gives equal standing to English. As a non member we will have to use whatever languages they choose. Just one of those little perks you want to give up.

You do talk some shite,

 

[Perados]

I thought Mutti wanted you all to learn Arabic as first language?

No... large parts of her party speak about "Deutsche Leitkultur". Everyone in Germany has to learn German. Quite similar to the neo-nationalism of "you are British if you accept British values"

 

[Perados]

You Brexorcists, perados does have a point. As a member we can insist the EU recognises and gives equal standing to English. As a non member we will have to use whatever languages they choose. Just one of those little perks you want to give up.

As soon as Britain has left English is no longer one of the official languages... that's already decided

 

[dandelion]

You do talk some shite,

You wouldnt by any chance be willing to stand for the next UKIP leader?

 

[Jason]

I guess we simply aren't such snobs as most Brits

It is indeed a form of snobbery. This is a powerful human characteristic.

Any work I put into languages (and it's not much!) is likely to be French and Russian, where I already know something. I've some sympathy with Latin and Greek (the ancient form), again because I know something. And I have a certain curiosity for Welsh. I quite like the idea of a one week residential course for beginners to learn some of the heritage aspects. I could be rude to Drifter in his home nation's language! German just isn't on my personal list.

 

[Jason]

As soon as Britain has left English is no longer one of the official languages... that's already decided

Yes I know. It came out very soon after the Brexit referendum. Ireland has registered its national language as Irish. (You know the joke about the Irish being daft.) There was a debate around whether ANY of the Irish in the Parliament can actually hold a conversation in Irish, or indeed in any language other than English.

My hope is that the EU follows through on a complete end to status of English, including informal use of English. It would be such a massive own goal.

 

[Jason]

You wouldnt by any chance be willing to stand for the next UKIP leader?

If UKIP have any sense at all (and it's not certain they have) they will now go for an orderly closure of UKIP. The party is broke and polling at trivial levels. It's over.

 

[Jason]

http://languageknowledge.eu/

Nice data set.

There are a few oddities. It says 17% of the people of Ireland speak Irish. I just don't believe it. Maybe 1.7%.

 

[Perados]

It is indeed a form of snobbery. This is a powerful human characteristic.

Any work I put into languages (and it's not much!) is likely to be French and Russian, where I already know something. I've some sympathy with Latin and Greek (the ancient form), again because I know something. And I have a certain curiosity for Welsh. I quite like the idea of a one week residential course for beginners to learn some of the heritage aspects. I could be rude to Drifter in his home nation's language! German just isn't on my personal list.

Doesn't matter if it's on your list, you will be forced as soon as you re-join.
Better start today

 

[Perados]

My hope is that the EU follows through on a complete end to status of English, including informal use of English. It would be such a massive own goal.

I doubt it will be a big difference... on the afternoon our President of the parliament moved to Paris to speak in a good French to the French parliament.

Face it, at the end all European speak enough different languages to communicate with each other, even without English.
It's the English only who aren't able to speak in foreign lanfuages.

 

[Jason]

I doubt it will be a big difference... on the afternoon our President of the parliament moved to Paris to speak in a good French to the French parliament.

Face it, at the end all European speak enough different languages to communicate with each other, even without English.
It's the English only who aren't able to speak in foreign lanfuages.

It isn't something I'm fussed about. If the EU institutions decide to do without English, that's their decision.

 

[dandelion]

If UKIP have any sense at all (and it's not certain they have) they will now go for an orderly closure of UKIP. The party is broke and polling at trivial levels. It's over.

This whole Brexit farce was crated by the tories in order to destroy UKIP. It would certainly help them when they switch back to remain if UKIP no longer exists for leave voters to turn to.

 

[southeastone]

It's the English only who aren't able to speak in foreign lanfuages.

Does that sweeping statement cover all of the English?

 

[Perados]

Does that sweeping statement cover all of the English?

Only in case Jason reads it...
But don't tell Jason

My latest replies to Jason's posts don't reflect my real opinion. They are written to show Jason how his posts are seen by others.



I don't believe that English people can't speak foreign languages, just as I don't believe that Britain will change its official language to German, if the EVER would re-join the EU. This is just as nonsense as what ever Jason wrote.

 

[southeastone]

Only in case Jason reads it...
But don't tell Jason

My latest replies to Jason's posts don't reflect my real opinion. They are written to show Jason how his posts are seen by others.



I don't believe that English people can't speak foreign languages, just as I don't believe that Britain will change its official language to German, if the EVER would re-join the EU. This is just as nonsense as what ever Jason wrote.

 

[southeastone]

I don't believe that English people can't speak foreign languages,.

Apparently there are well over 1 million people in the UK who can't speak English so I guess we have some who can speak Foreign languages anyway!

 

[Jason]

Only in case Jason reads it...
But don't tell Jason

My latest replies to Jason's posts don't reflect my real opinion. They are written to show Jason how his posts are seen by others.



I don't believe that English people can't speak foreign languages, just as I don't believe that Britain will change its official language to German, if the EVER would re-join the EU. This is just as nonsense as what ever Jason wrote.

@Perados, I love you too.

I'm not particularly bothered about what the EU institutions think about the language ability of Brits. I do think we have to make some progress with Mandarin. Executives travelling to China need to be able to great their counterparts in Mandarin, need a few phrases, and need 100 or so characters. A similar skill set for Arabic would be useful, perhaps Japanese.

As a matter of domestic policy we probably do need to look to some knowledge of Welsh and Gaelic outside Wales and Scotland/NI. We also need to help those in migrant communities obtain a high level in their non-native languages, so that they can communicate fluently in these languages.

The languages that slip well down the list are those of the European continent. People need holiday Spanish/Italian/French, even Greek and Portuguese. We don't much holiday in Germany.

 

[dandelion]

there is a most curious news articlr which can be seen here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42795058

Last year 900 criminal prosecutions were dropped because the authorities had failed to tell the defence about evidence they had which indicated the defendant was innocent. The number of mistrials of this sort has been rising for the last few years. The article also notes that over the same period, the total number of trials has been falling.

So waht does that mean? Have we become more law abiding over the last few years, or are the authorities simply failing to administer justice? There are fewer police, fewer judges, presumablyfewer prosectutors. It would seem that both criminals are getting away with it, but also that the system is failing to distinu=guish people who are guilty and not guilty.

That would government austerity for you.

I just posted on the brexit thead a stoty that doctors seeking to work for the NHS have been refused visas because the NHS does not pay enough for them to qualify for visas. It seems the government's visa scheme to cut down on immigration post Brexit is unworkable. Brexit is a disastrous fiasco which will deepend the government's budget crisis and make just about everything worse.

The EU sits back and cannot bellieve the stupidity of british politicians.