Language and Wealth

[Anthea Fraser Gupta]

As Don and Mohammed have pointed out, the linguistics of this are questionable.
 
FreedomWorks is a US organisation. Here is its mission statement:
 
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"FreedomWorks fights for lower taxes, less government and more economic freedom for all Americans.

FreedomWorks combines the stature and experience of America 's greatest policy entrepreneurs with the grassroots power of hundreds of thousands of volunteer activists all over the Nation.

FreedomWorks, led by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, has an unrivalled ability to reach opinion leaders and elected officials with innovative policy ideas and effective strategies for change.

FreedomWorks drives policy change by training and mobilizing grassroots Americans to engage their fellow citizens and encourage their political representatives to act in defense of individual freedom and economic opportunity. "

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Now it's no secret I'm a lefty European, so it won't surprise readers that this isn't an organiseation I'd expect to have much sympathy with.....
 
The old hand of linguistic determinism. Chickens and eggs spring to mind. 
 
And as for: "In fact, the two largest English-speaking nations,
the United States and the United Kingdom, do not have an official language
(unlike most other countries) -- English is only the de facto official
language. Any country can adopt English as an official language if it
wishes -- and now about 50 of them have done so."

As we discussed in an earlier thread this isn't quite true (certainly as far as the UK is concerned). And 'largest English-speaking nations"???? Folks, I give you just two -- Nigeria and India. Or can you only REALLY speak English if you are mostly white?
 
Anthea


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Anthea Fraser Gupta (Dr) 
School of English, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT <www.leeds.ac.uk/english/staff/afg> 
NB: Reply to a.f.gupta at leeds.ac.uk 
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