The Use Of The English Language Across Europe

[Chet]

I have been watching Strongmen Champions League on TV where men from across Europe and a few from elsewhere compete by lifting, pulling and carrying weights. During the competition they are interviewed about their performance and always in well spoken English no matter where they are from. I get from that, that perhaps Europe is moving to a common language. What say you, Europeans?

 

[Don M.]

English seems to slowly becoming the "universal" language. Even decades ago, when I was in Europe, it was pretty easy to find someone who spoke English fairly well. With the increasingly "global" economy, it is advantageous for most to be able to communicate easily with people from multiple nations.

 

[gennie]

When I traveled in Europe, how much of my English was understood was in direct relationship to how visible my Visa card was.

I haven't been in 15 years so perhaps that has changed.

 

[hollydolly]

I have been watching Strongmen Champions League on TV where men from across Europe and a few from elsewhere compete by lifting, pulling and carrying weights. During the competition they are interviewed about their performance and always in well spoken English no matter where they are from. I get from that, that perhaps Europe is moving to a common language. What say you, Europeans?

yes most European countries do teach English as an important part of the curriculum, particularly Holland and France & Belgium ( countries closest to the UK .. it's the most spoken language in the world next to Mandarin Chinese.. but as we're not in Asia. we're in Europe... then of course English is extremely important...

Just a pity that English education doesn't feel the same way about foreign languages in schools . When I was at school.. French and German were taught, but only half heartedly, and if we didn't pass it was no big deal... generally speaking if we were interested in studying a foreign language , we'd have to do so in college or University... and that hadn't changed when my daughter was in High school in the 90's

I understand many students now take up Mandarin as a foreign language in College these days.. given that China is stealthily taking over the world..

 

[Elsie]

Just last evening I watched a show where most people spoke Spanish-?. That started me thinking how much nicer it sounded in comparison to American English speaking. But then I thought, American English is a whole lot less complicated. (in some ways ) So, speaking American may not have a pleasant sound to some, but at least it 's easier to learn. I think. I once heard a comment by a French person that American speech sounds like barking & I thought then, "Well, French speaking sounds like gagging." Two ridiculously silly comments from both of us.