Forum newsfeeds |  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
14-Jun-2004, 09:01
| | | can we progress with out english? can we progress with out english | 
14-Jun-2004, 11:07
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Sep 2003 Country: Canada
Posts: 12,997
Current Location: China First Language: English Thanks: 0
Thanked 16 Times in 16 Posts
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | Yes! The French have been doing it for centuries--in North America and Europe combined. :wink: | 
14-Jun-2004, 11:09
| | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Country: New Zealand
Posts: 161
Current Location: Japan First Language: English Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | That is a very general question. It is certainly advantageous to have members of the population who are fluent in English and another language for faciliting trade and international relations, but I do not think that it is neccessary for everyone to speak English.
Take a look at Japan. English levels are very low, however they still became an industrialised country.
So I would suggest that it is up to individuals to ask themselves that question. | 
14-Jun-2004, 11:23
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Sep 2003 Country: Canada
Posts: 12,997
Current Location: China First Language: English Thanks: 0
Thanked 16 Times in 16 Posts
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by A.Russell Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | That is a very general question. It is certainly advantageous to have members of the population who are fluent in English and another language for faciliting trade and international relations, but I do not think that it is neccessary for everyone to speak English.
Take a look at Japan. English levels are very low, however they still became an industrialised country.
So I would suggest that it is up to individuals to ask themselves that question. | Psst. Companies interested in gaining what Japan has to offer made it a point and are still making it a point to learn Japanese. :wink:
English as a tool for International communication, in Japan? Hmm. Japan does more business with China, Taiwan and other Asian countries, not to mention Eurpean countries that don't speak English as their first language than it does with English speaking countries. Translators make big bucks in Asian companies. 8)
Japanese goverment employees have to take an English exam in order to get hired, and yet, aside from those who study English on the side as a hobby, the majority of government employees are unable to converse in English because the resources ($) and opportunity are not available to them.
If a company (i.e. in Britian) wants to do business with a company in Japan), they make it a point of hiring employees who can converse in Japanese. That's just good business sense.
All the best, | 
14-Jun-2004, 17:24
| | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Country: New Zealand
Posts: 161
Current Location: Japan First Language: English Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by Casiopea Quote: |
Originally Posted by A.Russell Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | That is a very general question. It is certainly advantageous to have members of the population who are fluent in English and another language for faciliting trade and international relations, but I do not think that it is neccessary for everyone to speak English.
Take a look at Japan. English levels are very low, however they still became an industrialised country.
So I would suggest that it is up to individuals to ask themselves that question. | Psst. Companies interested in gaining what Japan has to offer made it a point and are still making it a point to learn Japanese. :wink:
English as a tool for International communication, in Japan? Hmm. Japan does more business with China, Taiwan and other Asian countries, not to mention Eurpean countries that don't speak English as their first language than it does with English speaking countries. Translators make big bucks in Asian companies. 8)
Japanese goverment employees have to take an English exam in order to get hired, and yet, aside from those who study English on the side as a hobby, the majority of government employees are unable to converse in English because the resources ($) and opportunity are not available to them.
If a company (i.e. in Britian) wants to do business with a company in Japan), they make it a point of hiring employees who can converse in Japanese. That's just good business sense.
All the best, | True, they do often use English as a medium with other Asian countries, though. You could also add their English education system to their inability to speak English. Certainly, most Japanese can get by very comfortably never speaking a word of English.
And I see your point about the French ;) | 
14-Jun-2004, 20:59
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by Casiopea Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | Yes! The French have been doing it for centuries--in North America and Europe combined. :wink: | Hmmm. I don't know if those are great examples. <grins, ducks, and runs> :wink: | 
14-Jun-2004, 21:02
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by A.Russell Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | That is a very general question. It is certainly advantageous to have members of the population who are fluent in English and another language for faciliting trade and international relations, but I do not think that it is neccessary for everyone to speak English.
Take a look at Japan. English levels are very low, however they still became an industrialised country.
So I would suggest that it is up to individuals to ask themselves that question. | English among the general population is certainly not a requirement. It is the international language of aviation, banking, and a few other industries, however. English is a very popular second language in Europe and that trend is spreading to Asia. | 
14-Jun-2004, 22:26
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
Posts: 25,130
Current Location: Phnom Penh First Language: English Thanks: 2
Thanked 242 Times in 232 Posts
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by Casiopea Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | Yes! The French have been doing it for centuries--in North America and Europe combined. :wink: | Jacques Chirac was famously, and brilliantly, rude to Margaret Thatcher once, so he's got the English to do that.  | 
14-Jun-2004, 22:42
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: can we progress with out english? Quote: |
Originally Posted by tdol Quote: |
Originally Posted by Casiopea Quote: |
Originally Posted by basir khan can we progress with out english | Yes! The French have been doing it for centuries--in North America and Europe combined. :wink: | Jacques Chirac was famously, and brilliantly, rude to Margaret Thatcher once, so he's got the English to do that.  | Rudeness is one of his better points.  | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 22:29. |  |