MULTILINGUALISM IN EUROPE

THE MORE, THE MERRIER

The Europe of the future belongs ineluctably to the polyglots

The French consul visiting the agricultural show in Valencia, Spain, was puzzled. Why were so many visitors flocking to the Dutch stand and so few taking a look at the equally splendid irrigation equipment on display at his own country's exhibition space ?

"He quickly discovered the reason when he popped across to examine the Netherlands' offering more closely," says Jean Marcel Lauginie, president of a French-based association called APFA (Actions pour Promouvoir le Français des affaires). "The "French exhibitors had labelled everything in English. Their Dutch competitors had provided comprehensive information in the regional Valencian tongue as well as in Castillan Spanish."

As Europe moves toward unity, what does the future hold for the rich diversity of languages spoken by its many peoples ?

On one level, English continues to tighten its grip as the lingua franca of international meetings. At the other end of the scale, regions within European nations are asserting their local identities and languages. Between the two, Europe's biggest countries strive for formal recognition of their national tongues within the European Union.

Germany, for instancs, recruited professional lobbyists when it wanted to secure greater recognition for the German language in the work of the EU institutions. The United Kingdom disseminates information and entertainment in English overseas through the British Council and the BBC's World Service radio programs.

Language experts from Spain (and Latin America) have been cooperating on a project to harmonize Spanish usage, and the Institute Cervantes promotes the learning of Spanish around the world.

"Europe is a multilingual society, and we have to learn to live and work in that dimension," says Gordon Shenton, dean of academic programs at the Lyon Graduate Business School. "English is important, but it is certainly not enough. For example, German is recovering influence in Central and Eastern Europe," he adds.

At the same time, many of Europe's regions are asserting a rediscovered pride in their local cultures, traditions and languages, and several are pressing for greater local autonomy. Catalan, Gaelic and Sardu are some examples.

European political trends and the burgeoning of information technologies that make it economically feasible to communicate and publish for smaller audiences and readerships are two of the main factors contributing to such movements.

Michael Rowe

(International Herald Tribune du 29 janvier 1997)

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