首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
"We are observing more and more that other languages are taking over the Internet," said Victor Montviloff, who is responsible f
"We are observing more and more that other languages are taking over the Internet," said Victor Montviloff, who is responsible f
admin
2010-07-19
55
问题
"We are observing more and more that other languages are taking over the Internet," said Victor Montviloff, who is responsible for information policy in the communication and information sector at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
"Languages like German, Russian and Spanish are spreading at rapid speed on the Web," Mr. Montviloff said. "French has lagged relatively behind, because France until now has seemed more preoccupied with protecting its language against foreign invasion than promoting it. But now, the number of French-language sites also is fast multiplying. "
Because the Internet makes it possible, other languages are also starting to challenge the hegemony of English in distance education. The Internet is helping to revive minority languages and cultures by bringing together widely scattered linguistic communities.
An estimated 320 million people speak English as a mother tongue-fewer than those who speak Spanish or Mandarin-and demographic trends indicate that native English speakers will decline as a proportion of. the world’s population. Probably more than 1 billion people speak English with varying degrees of proficiency as a second language.
David Graddol, a language researcher and lecturer at the Open University in Britain, said that, on the one hand, English is becoming a language of everyday usage in some countries in Northern Europe. "Something like 70 percent of the Dutch population claim now that they can hold a conversation in English quite comfortable," Mr. Graddol said. "For them, it is not a textbook-based foreign exercise. They are already exposed to English in the environment. People have learned a little bit of it before they even get to school, and they can see immediately that it has some use in their lives. In courtiers like the Netherlands, Sweden or Denmark you need English to complete your education."
"In other countries; however, English is more truly a foreign language," said Mr. Graddol, whose consulting firm, The English Company, produced a worldwide report titled "The Future of English" for the British Council a few years ago, "In some countries, there is not very much English in the environment and people may be learning it from teachers who may not speak English very well themselves."
In some countries, like India and Nigeria where English has been used a long time, distinct local varieties of the language are emerging, complete with their own dictionaries, textbooks and literature.
"English is so important in these countries that people use it in part to create their own social and even national identity," Mr. Graddol said. "When that happens, the language starts going its own way. The variety of English that proficient speakers in such countries are learning may not be terribly useful in an international context."
Bertrand Menciassi, of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages in Europe, said the use of a world language both helps and hinders linguistic diversity. People can use English for their outside contacts, while cultivating their own tongue or dialect for use at home. On the other hand, he added, English is tending to push European national languages like Dutch or Danish into a corner.
Maintaining linguistic diversity is an important aim of the European Commission, which is concerned that the increasing acceptance of English as the European lingua franca should not detract from the vitality of other languages. The commission argues that the ability to speak two or three tongues will give the Europeans economic and technical advantages over their monolingual American rivals in the world of diversity, and is about to kick off "The European Year of Languages".
The purpose of "The European Year of Languages" is most probably to ______ .
选项
A、advertise for European language
B、decide on a common official European language
C、challenge American English
D、promote multilingualism
答案
D
解析
最后一段第一句谈到保持语言多样化(maintaining linguistic diversity)是欧洲委员会的重要目标。由此可见,该委员会发起“欧洲语言年”活动的目的主要是为了提倡语言多样化。所以D正确。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/6AlO777K
0
专业英语八级
相关试题推荐
ThefollowingareallspecificmeasurestoguardagainstinjurieswiththeEXCEPTIONofInwhichparagraphdoestheauthorstat
China’sinternetusershadreached______bytheendofJune.
WhichofthefollowingstatementsaboutintellectualpropertyisNOTtrue?FreeInternetmusicfilesharingmaybringaboutall
PresidentBushhasproposedaddingoptionalpersonalaccountsasoneofthecentralelementsofamajorSocialSecurityreformp
Therelationshipbetweenthehomeandmarketeconomieshasgonethroughtwodistinctstages.Earlyindustrializationbeganthep
A、themassacreofdozensofShiitevillagersB、thesuppressionofaShiiterevoltinthesouthC、thecampaigntodriveIraqiKur
Inmorethanfivehundredpoemsshehadwrittenaboutnature,Dickinsonexpressedher______abouttherelationshipbetweenman
A、itischeaperandfasterthanordinarymailB、itcansendthingsthatcouldnotbeexpressedbytelexC、itisfasterandnotm
A、showedhisworry.B、showedhisconcern.C、expressedhisdoubt.D、expressedhissatisfaction.D
TheDemocrats’TradeTroublesLastweekHousespeakerNancyPelosiandCongressmanCharlesRangelshowedgenuineleadership
随机试题
在韩国围棋选手李世石与围棋人工智能AlphaGo(“阿尔法狗”)的人机大战中,AlphaGo最终以4:1取胜。这说明()。
患儿,女,7岁,诊为肾病综合征。证见全身浮肿,面目为著,小便减少,面自身重,神疲乏力,纳少便溏,自汗出,易感冒,或有咳嗽,舌淡胖,脉虚弱。辨证分型为( )
A.相杀B.相须C.相恶D.相畏E.相反人参配莱菔子属于()
临床上最常见的脑血管病为
工程开工前,()应根据项目质量计划、施工组织设计、施工方案对检测设备的精度要求和生产需要,编制《计量检测设备配备计划书》。
某企业2018年年初拥有一原值为2000万元的店面,当年6月末,该企业决定将此店面出租给王某,与王某签订了租期为三年的租赁协议,协议约定第一年免收租金。当地省政府规定房产计税余值扣除比例为30%。已知6月底该企业已将店面交付给王某,则下列关于该企业2018
甲公司1999年1月1日购入一项无形资产,该无形资产的实际成本为1000万元,摊销年限为10年。2003年12月31日,该无形资产发生减值,预计可收回金额为360万元。计提减值准备后,该无形资产原摊销年限不变。2004年12月31日,该无形资产的账面价值
我国抚恤金的种类主要有哪些?()
在弱有效市场中,一种证券今天价格可以表示为“最近的观察价格”加上“证券的期望收益值”,再加上这段时间发生的“随机收益值”。(中国人民大学2013年真题)
请在“答题”菜单中选择相应的命令,并按照题目要求完成下面的操作。注意:以下的文件必须保存在考生文件夹下。校摄影社团在今年的摄影比赛结束后,希望可以借助PowerPoint将优秀作品在社团活动中进行展示。这些优秀的摄影作品保存在考试文件夹
最新回复
(
0
)