English Becomes Esperanto reading
In what way would you say Britain has never been a typical European Union member?
B Discuss these questions and then read the first part of the article and check your ideas:
1 Britain is the only EU country which has been vetoed for membership. How many
times and by which country was Britain vetoed?
2 How long after the original six members established the European Economic
Community did Britain join?
3 Britain is the only EU member to hold a referendum on what?
4 How many official languages are there in the EU and do they enjoy equal status?
The Economist May 2016
English becomes Esperanto second one, due in June. French and expect the room
All this makes it anomalous to follow. (Indeed, most people
BRITAIN has never been a that the institutions of can, partly because the union’s
typical European Union (EU) the EU are dominated by de facto capital, Brussels, is
member. It is the only country the language of its most mostly French-speaking.) No
vetoed for membership (by recalcitrant member. Legally, other language’s speakers
France), and twice, at that. It the 24 official languages of presume this, though German
joined only in 1973, almost the 28 members have equal is often called the third working
two decades after the original status. Gradually, however, language.
six members established English has displaced French
the European Economic as the most common language
Community. It is more free- between two Eurocrats or
trading, free-marketeering and parliamentarians who do not
Atlanticist than the continent. share a native tongue. Even
And it is the only country to so, many French-speakers still
hold a referendum on leaving, expect that, in any gathering,
in 1975, not to mention a it is acceptable to switch to
If Britain leaves the EU, how many countries would be left with English as the official
language? What percentage of the EU’s citizens speak English as a foreign language?
B Read the next part of the article and check your ideas.
So English is very much odd fact: a union of 450m
first among equals, despite dominated by a language
the fact that English spoken officially only in
voters may favour leaving the Republic of Ireland
the EU. (Voters in the (population 4.6m) and Malta
other three nations of the (where it is co-official on an
United Kingdom are more island of 450,000), unless
likely to prefer staying Scotland demands and wins
in.) That would leave an a second referendum on
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English Becomes Esperanto reading
independence from Britain, But even with the Scots, happen to English without
and rejoins the EU. 10m or so native English- the English?
speakers will be a tiny
minority in a union of
over 450m. An increasing
number of the others speak
English — in 2012 a report
found that 38% of the EU’s
citizens speak it as a foreign
language. Nearly all of those
working at EU institutions
in Brussels do. What would
b What do you think would happen to the English language spoken in the EU without the
English presence?
B Discuss these questions and then read the next part of the article and check your ideas:
1 How do you think the words ‘control’ and ‘assist’ are used incorrectly in Euro-English?
2 What incorrect extension do Euro-English speakers add to the words ‘information’
and ‘competence’?
3 In what way is the use of English in the EU similar to how it is used in India and South
Africa?
Euro-English is just a naive English. It could be that
but incorrect extension of whatever native-speakers
English grammatical rules: might consider correct,
many nouns in English Euro-English, second
that don’t properly pluralise language or not, is becoming
with a final “s” are merrily a dialect fluently spoken
used in Euro-English, such by a large group of people
as “informations” and who understand each other
“competences”. Euro-English perfectly well. Such is the
also uses words like “actor”, case of English in India or
A sort of Euro-English, “axis” or “agent” well beyond South Africa, where a small
influenced by foreign their narrow range in native group of native speakers
languages, is already in English. is dwarfed by a far larger
use. Many Europeans use Jeremy Gardner, an number of second-language
“control” to mean “monitor” official at the European Court speakers. One effect may be
because contrôler has of Auditors, has written a that this dialect would lose
that meaning in French. guide to “Misused English some of the tricky bits of
The same goes for “assist”, Words and Expressions English, such as the future
meaning to attend (assister in EU Publications”, which perfect progressive (“We will
in French, asistir in attempts to correct many have been working”) that
Spanish). In other cases, of these quirks of Euro- aren’t strictly necessary.
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English Becomes Esperanto reading
b “One effect may be that this dialect would lose some of the tricky bits of English...” Which
would you say are the trickiest bits of English?
Do you think French or German, or another language could replace English within the
EU?
B Read the final part of the article and compare your thoughts to the journalist’s.
that French be the union’s odd result. Britain may be
sole legal language in 2007 a polarising, unusual EU
(thanks to its supposedly member, but English has
unmatched precision) was become neutral, utilitarian;
surely pitied as much as he it is useful because others
was laughed at. But French’s understand it. Its association
role as the second language with Britain is already weak
of the EU is assured — some and set to weaken if “Brexit”
old hands still prefer it as comes to pass. Dreamers
a lingua franca. Despite have long hoped for a neutral
What about the other the economic strength auxiliary language that is
European languages? The and political confidence common to all. Some have
French would be thrilled of modern Germany, the even gone to the trouble of
to restore their language Germans are not keen on inventing such languages.
to its old primacy. This will pushing their language on Who knows? English might
not happen: the French others. one day fulfil the destiny
academician who suggested All this makes for an intended for Esperanto.
b What do you think the future holds for the English language?
V Circle the correct word to complete these extracts from the article:
1 And it is the only country to handle / hold / make a referendum on leaving…
2 Gradually, however, English has displaced / departed / dissolved French as the most
common language between two Eurocrats…
3 …it is acceptable to change / switch / move to French and expect the room to follow.
4 No other language’s speakers resume / suppose / presume this, though German is
often called the third working language.
5 …the French academician who suggested that French be the union’s soul / solo / sole
legal language…
6 But French’s role as the second language of the EU is assured — some old fingers / feet
/ hands still prefer it as a lingua franca.
7 Its association with Britain is already weak and set to weaken if “Brexit” comes to happen
/ pass / past.
8 Some have even gone to the troubles / trouble / problem of inventing such languages.
V Complete these sentences with the words and expressions above:
1 “When do you think all these things will _________________________?” “Soon, I am sure.”
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English Becomes Esperanto reading
2 I __________________ the operating system in my PC from Windows 7 to Windows 10.
3 I ____________________ that my French teacher would be from France, but he was in fact
from Canada.
4 I _____________________________ of cooking dinner for you, now please eat it!
5 James is the _______________ heir to the estate and will inherit everything.
6 John has been working in international relations for years. He is an ________________ at
dealing with difficult diplomats.
7 The US will _______________ presidential elections this year.
8 Christianity ________________________ many pagan religions when it arrived in the UK
centuries ago.
E What does the highlighted expression in this extract from the article mean?
The Economist May 2016
It is the only country vetoed for membership (by France), and twice, at that.
There are a number of expressions in English that talk about being ‘at’ something.
Say what you think these mean:
at loggerheads
1 at fault 2 at loggerheads
3 at sixes and sevens 4 at a loose end
5 at random 6 at large
7 at liberty 8 at stake
V Now match them to these definitions:
__ in a state of confusion __ escaped or not yet captured
__ in the wrong __ in disagreement; blocked by differing opinions
__ have nothing specific to do __ without method or conscious decision
__ in danger of being lost __ free (to do something)
V React to these statements using the expressions with ‘at’:
1 The police announced that the murderer had escaped and they were looking for him.
2 The investigators concluded that the pilot did not cause the accident.
3 I can’t decide whether to go skiing this Christmas or go on a beach holiday.
4 Kevin and John don’t agree on anything.
5 They’ve invested a lot of money in the business and they could lose it all.
6 If you’ve got nothing to do, give me a call and we can meet for a coffee.
7 We chose the members of the teams without using any specific criteria or method.
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