S’il vous please, M.
Cameron!
These days everybody is learning a foreign
language. For most of us this foreign language is English. The only ones who
can get away with speaking only their native
language are the people in the English speaking countries.
I almost wrote “speaking only their own language”. But the spread of the use
of their language comes at a cost. It is now longer their language, it’s ours
as well. We all use it as we please.
Now Mr. Cameron has announced a referendum on
the future of the UK in the EU. If the English were to leave the European
Union, would they take the English language with them? I’m sure the French
would like them to do so. The French would surely like French to be the dominant
language in Europe. It was for many years in the EU-institutions. And Germany, the power house of the European
economy, would they not want a more prominent place for the German language? Would
Europe go on to use English in its institutions, which would not comprise nations with
English as their national language?
English at present is the first foreign
language in most of the EU member states. French and/or German could, of
course, be used as political/administrative languages on European level. But
this would probably mean one language for politics and administration and
another one for trade and business, and that wouldn’t add to the efficiency of
the Union.
So, Mr. Cameron, if you leave,
please leave your language with us.
And don't forget to include a question on the ballot
slip as to which language your voters would like to speak when they go to
Europe.
NB! You are, of course, more than
welcome to remain in Europe - together with your language.
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