Now this is something else to ponder and it will certainly become one of my arguments for leaving well enough alone!
Sunday, 24 May 2009
World Languages
I was walking with Naomi yesterday and told her about my department's impending name change. We discussed 'World Languages' and she pointed out that some languages are not. I hadn't thought that 'world' might suggest that a language was spoken all over the globe in which case that reduces the number of languages which might be taught in my department. I hadn't considered introducing Icelandic but one never knows. However, you couldn't consider it a language spoken world-wide. The way things are going, French may be in that category one day, but not Spanish. The rise in the Spanish speaking population in the United States for example is quite considerable.
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2 comments:
Hmmm...this has me thinking too.
There are more than 800 distinct langauges spoken in Papua New Guinea.
There is a term "World Music" which seems to describe music from Caribbean, Africa, South America, Asia, Pacific Islands. It seems to be music from countries other than Europe, Australia, North America. In the case of "World Music", does the adjective "world" means the opposite to what is meant at your school by "World Languages".
I do like to consider how "out of this world" could be applied here...
What about text speak? That might be a world language? They were talking about allowing kids to write exams using text speak. I think I'd need to take a course in it personally as I can't stand it.
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