Thursday, July 10, 2008

Obama: Shame on English

Advocate for the Republic sez:

"Why is English overwhelmingly used on the internet? Because America invented it. Why do so many people in foreign lands learn English? Because it makes their lives easier. They can trade with us. They can understand the new American or British pop hit. They can watch Star Wars without voices dubbed over. People learn English because it is practical for them to do so seeing as Britain and then America have been the driving force of history for so long."

Personally, I speak a smattering of a few languages, because I enjoy it. Languages are cool. But English is the lingua franca (to borrow from Gaul and Latin), and you have to have one. Should we educate ourselves in other languages? Of course. Languages are wonderful things, full of interesting treasures and discoveries. Any education that does not insist on at least exposure to them is lacking.

But for Sen. Obama to lecture us on our "embarrassing" ignorance of languages is pretty specious. When it comes down to it, we really only need to understand English.

2 comments:

A Missourian said...

I have no problem with people furthering themselves by learning a language, (believe me, I've been struggling with a side hobby of mine to learn Latin so I can use it as a springboard into Spanish, Italian, and French) but to imply that Europeans are superior to us because they generally know our language exposes Obama's intentions: He wants us to be Europe in mind, body, and soul.

Eowyn said...

Yes, he IS an elitist, no matter how hard he tries to pretend otherwise.

Sadly, though, there's plenty of Americans who think the European nanny-state thing is just fine. *shudder*