Wales: Time to make languages really count

[Harold Schiffman]

 Forwarded From:  edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu


Wales Online



Time to make languages really count



The spectacle of the world's top leaders gathering in London for the
G20 Summit last week was a powerful reminder of the increasingly
global nature of the world economy.

And, as these politicians and their officials sought solutions to
unprecedented international problems, one couldn't help reflecting on
the importance of language and communication in establishing common
ground.



We know a significant proportion of delegates could use English as
their shared medium. But those who will have gained the greatest
insights from the summit will have been those able to communicate
directly with counterparts in different cultural and linguistic blocs
- for example the French, Hispanic, Russian or Arabic.



Full story:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/04/09/time-to-make-languages-really-count-91466-23346214/





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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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