Comments on: Latin: A solution to the EU’s language problems? http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/ European Opinion Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:04:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John Emerson http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7893 John Emerson Sat, 23 Apr 2005 22:37:09 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7893 Hm, so Marx made it up. I still like it. Zizka as Teutonic foil? Didn't know about that. I know that when the Lithuanian pagans became Catholic, they joined in against the Hussites. Hm, so Marx made it up. I still like it.

Zizka as Teutonic foil? Didn’t know about that. I know that when the Lithuanian pagans became Catholic, they joined in against the Hussites.

]]> By: Michael S. http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7892 Michael S. Sat, 23 Apr 2005 07:11:40 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7892 I was Zizka But of course. Who else but the erstwhile foil of Teutonic Order could have come back to avenge Marx's dastardly misquotation of a defenseless dead Florentiner? You are my post-pre-modern hero of the week. :-) I was Zizka

But of course. Who else but the erstwhile foil of Teutonic Order could have come back to avenge Marx’s dastardly misquotation of a defenseless dead Florentiner?

You are my post-pre-modern hero of the week. :-)

]]> By: John Emerson http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7891 John Emerson Sat, 23 Apr 2005 03:53:37 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7891 In my previous incarnation I was Zizka, and I defeated the Holy Roman Empire time and again over a period of decades. They better not try anything. In my previous incarnation I was Zizka, and I defeated the Holy Roman Empire time and again over a period of decades.

They better not try anything.

]]> By: Michael D http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7890 Michael D Fri, 22 Apr 2005 23:00:19 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7890 All the stuff about bringing back Latin lessons in schools is not altogether unconnected with the fashionable notion of resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire. Perhaps, that also explains a Bavarian pope. But, it could have its advantages:we all get long holidays in the middle east (rape & pillage optional) and when we get bored there then we can try Sweden and France etc.we can get rich selling get out of hell free cards or selling the golden bull to the NYSEwe can amuse ourselves by thowing people we don't like out of the window or burning them at the stakewe can have hours of fun seeing who can build the biggest building without it falling downthe possibilities are endless... ...don't much fancy a diet of worms though. Who said it was a slow Friday afternoon? All the stuff about bringing back Latin lessons in schools is not altogether unconnected with the fashionable notion of resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire.

Perhaps, that also explains a Bavarian pope.

But, it could have its advantages:we all get long holidays in the middle east (rape & pillage optional) and when we get bored there then we can try Sweden and France etc.we can get rich selling get out of hell free cards or selling the golden bull to the NYSEwe can amuse ourselves by thowing people we don’t like out of the window or burning them at the stakewe can have hours of fun seeing who can build the biggest building without it falling downthe possibilities are endless…
…don’t much fancy a diet of worms though.

Who said it was a slow Friday afternoon?

]]> By: Bob B http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7889 Bob B Fri, 22 Apr 2005 06:04:25 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7889 Great stuff. But you don't live in Europe (?) All the stuff about bringing back Latin lessons in schools is not altogether unconnected with the fashionable notion of resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire. Great stuff. But you don’t live in Europe (?)

All the stuff about bringing back Latin lessons in schools is not altogether unconnected with the fashionable notion of resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire.

]]> By: John Emerson http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7888 John Emerson Fri, 22 Apr 2005 05:56:14 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7888 Bob B. Hope so. I can read Chinese, including Classical Chinese. I'd be set. Bob B. Hope so. I can read Chinese, including Classical Chinese. I’d be set.

]]> By: Bob B http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7887 Bob B Fri, 22 Apr 2005 02:53:58 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7887 John: "I doubt that Mandarin will replace English as world language, because of the difficulty of the writing system." Quite so. But the ability to speak Mandarin will doubtless be a most useful skill for selling Airbus airliners and armaments in China. Besides, as I recall, a favourite justification for teaching Latin at school was always the virtuous "discipline" that the experience imparted. Arguably, the "discipline" from the experience of learning thousands of Chinese characters will therefore be even more virtuous. And the ancient texts of Chinese literature will become accessible without translation. After all, Confucius goes back to c. 500 BC, before the the renown classical philosophers of ancient Greece: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. John: “I doubt that Mandarin will replace English as world language, because of the difficulty of the writing system.”

Quite so. But the ability to speak Mandarin will doubtless be a most useful skill for selling Airbus airliners and armaments in China. Besides, as I recall, a favourite justification for teaching Latin at school was always the virtuous “discipline” that the experience imparted. Arguably, the “discipline” from the experience of learning thousands of Chinese characters will therefore be even more virtuous. And the ancient texts of Chinese literature will become accessible without translation. After all, Confucius goes back to c. 500 BC, before the the renown classical philosophers of ancient Greece: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

]]> By: Keith Gaughan http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7886 Keith Gaughan Fri, 22 Apr 2005 00:41:58 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7886 Ok, I'm being ha-ha-only-serious when I say this, but why not Classical Gaelic? It's a rich and expressive language with a literary equal to, albeit not as well known as, Latin and Greek. Nobody uses it any more (the Penal laws, the Irish famine, and a variety of other factor saw to that), and it's hard for everybody! And it's an actual European langauge. Ok, I’m being ha-ha-only-serious when I say this, but why not Classical Gaelic? It’s a rich and expressive language with a literary equal to, albeit not as well known as, Latin and Greek. Nobody uses it any more (the Penal laws, the Irish famine, and a variety of other factor saw to that), and it’s hard for everybody!

And it’s an actual European langauge.

]]> By: John Emerson http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7885 John Emerson Thu, 21 Apr 2005 23:26:03 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7885 I doubt that Mandarin will replace English as world language, because of the difficulty of the writing system. I think that the decline in % of first-language English speakers is just differential fertility of populations, not a decrease of the importance of English internationally. As East Asia becomes more prosperous, though, I could see that big chunk of the world becoming more Sinocentric. I doubt that Mandarin will replace English as world language, because of the difficulty of the writing system. I think that the decline in % of first-language English speakers is just differential fertility of populations, not a decrease of the importance of English internationally.

As East Asia becomes more prosperous, though, I could see that big chunk of the world becoming more Sinocentric.

]]> By: Bob B http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-european-union/latin-a-solution-to-the-eus-language-problems/#comment-7884 Bob B Thu, 21 Apr 2005 23:04:49 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=1243#comment-7884 One assessment has it that English is in decline as a first language: "According to one new study, the percentage of the global population that grew up speaking English as its first language is declining. In addition, an increasing number of people now speak more than one language. "In the future, English is likely to be one of those languages, but the Mandarin form of Chinese will probably be the next must-learn language, especially in Asia." http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0226_040226_language.html Of course, the great thing about Mandarin is that it will give access to the huge Chinese literature for which Latin really isn't much use. One assessment has it that English is in decline as a first language:

“According to one new study, the percentage of the global population that grew up speaking English as its first language is declining. In addition, an increasing number of people now speak more than one language.

“In the future, English is likely to be one of those languages, but the Mandarin form of Chinese will probably be the next must-learn language, especially in Asia.”
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0226_040226_language.html

Of course, the great thing about Mandarin is that it will give access to the huge Chinese literature for which Latin really isn’t much use.

]]>