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mia

(8,480 posts)

21. Seriously?

Mon Jun 27, 2016, 04:17 PM

Jun 2016

"By far the most widely spoken and fastest spreading world language today is English, which has over 840 million primary and secondary users worldwide. It is also estimated to have as many as 700 million "foreign" learners of the language, including anywhere between 200 and 350 million learners/users in China alone,[3] at varying levels of study and proficiency, though this number is difficult to accurately assess.[4] English is also increasing becoming the dominant language of scientific research and papers worldwide, having even outpaced national languages in Western European countries, including France, where a recent study showed that English has massively displaced French as the language of scientific research in "hard" as well as in applied sciences.[5]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_language

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English will not be an official EU language after Brexit, says senior MEP [View all] brooklynite Jun 2016 OP

Kinda getting silly. Brits would not care if they are not part of the group. yeoman6987 Jun 2016 #1

I think more Irish are fluent in English than in Gaelic muriel_volestrangler Jun 2016 #7

Obviously, the same will hold for Scotland, if and when they make the move. Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #18

Barely none. Scotland would definitely want English as an official language muriel_volestrangler Jun 2016 #23

What percentage of the Irish are fluent in Irish Gaelic? 10 or 20%? Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #33

I don't think 20% of the Irish population speaks Irish as an everyday language. geardaddy Jun 2016 #37

Thanks for the info. Yes, I remember hearing Welsh in the streets, shops and public transport. Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #42

Funny as it seems, the Dutch speak better English RoccoR5955 Jun 2016 #19

You can say that again. Much better, and with very little accent. And, that's EVERYBODY, not just Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #35

I know what you mean. RoccoR5955 Jun 2016 #49

I used to work for a Dutch company... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2016 #50

Auf Wiedersehen, sweetheart. forest444 Jun 2016 #2

English version: Auf Weidersehen Pet pkdu Jun 2016 #52

Why do they hate America? Renew Deal Jun 2016 #3

Because of our Free Dumbs! n/t RoccoR5955 Jun 2016 #20

Don't worry. The EU will replace it with SCOTTISH! DetlefK Jun 2016 #4

Scots or Gaelic? geardaddy Jun 2016 #38

Whatever groundskeeper Willie on the "Simpsons" was speaking. DetlefK Jun 2016 #44

the hits just keep on coming. nt TeamPooka Jun 2016 #5

ok fine, who will liberate France next time then? msongs Jun 2016 #6

What is the relevance of that? jberryhill Jun 2016 #11

Ugh ? TubbersUK Jun 2016 #12

What pray tell does WWII have to do with Britain's leaving the 28-country EU? Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #17

Germany of course IronLionZion Jun 2016 #34

Probably China, Russia, India and Japan won't have English as an official language either ToxMarz Jun 2016 #8

In commerce and banking, they will. WinkyDink Jun 2016 #24

And so will the EU. They will be negotiating everything with the US and England even after BREXIT ToxMarz Jun 2016 #28

India does IronLionZion Jun 2016 #25

What language do you imagine they speak to each other? JackRiddler Jun 2016 #43

Gaelic? ToxMarz Jun 2016 #45

Russia, China, India and Japan? JackRiddler Jun 2016 #46

English is the common language of Europe, sulphurdunn Jun 2016 #9

Memories...of my trip to France after 6 weeks of French lessons. libdem4life Jun 2016 #51

Clearly Gaelic is more important in the EU than English. n/t PoliticAverse Jun 2016 #10

Maybe not, but English is the international language of MONEY. That isn't changing. tonyt53 Jun 2016 #13

And of science skepticscott Jun 2016 #15

And of the military Kaleva Jun 2016 #32

Eh diligent sleeper Jun 2016 #14

I don't know. When I watch British mysteries or movies, I can't always understand what they are still_one Jun 2016 #16

Seriously? mia Jun 2016 #21

Yeah, right. Until the United States, Saudi Arabia, and China tell Brussels it will be. WinkyDink Jun 2016 #22

I doubt that it will make any difference at all FBaggins Jun 2016 #26

Do you speak English? IronLionZion Jun 2016 #27

Funny and clever sulphurdunn Jun 2016 #56

Good luck with that E.U.. nt vkkv Jun 2016 #29

Yeah, that's going to work. JackRiddler Jun 2016 #30

"not know no Slovenian, Slovak, or in most cases even French. " geardaddy Jun 2016 #39

I ain't going to be lectured on no English idiom. JackRiddler Jun 2016 #41

LOL geardaddy Jun 2016 #48

Pretty stupid given that Ireland is still in the EU and they speak English. Odin2005 Jun 2016 #31

LOL. This must be the much-promised "punishment" for England's voters not "voting the right way." PSPS Jun 2016 #36

Malta or Ireland would probably change their EU language RAFisher Jun 2016 #40

Tribalism Yavin4 Jun 2016 #47

Why Should it Be? Night Watchman Jun 2016 #53

As the article and people in this thread, say, because Irish and Maltese people use English muriel_volestrangler Jun 2016 #54

Message auto-removed Name removed Jun 2016 #55