"Deep" resentment by "many" and the future of the U.S. political power in the world as we know it.

[Neal Evenhuis]

This is sort of a digression from Taxacom s. str., but can be interpreted as
necessary background toward discussion of languages in taxonomy.


On Sun, 25 Feb 1996, Joe "Esperanto-savvy" Laferriere wrote:

> The use of English
> is deeply resented by many people in many countries.

You use two "relative" terms here that need defining in order for your
statement to have any validity: "deeply" and "many". More than 3 can be
construed as "many". A better argument would be a "majority".

As far as "deeply" resented: I am Dutch. The Dutch language has been in
the news as possibly going "extinct" due to the necessity of English in
commerce (and other factors), yet I have not heard that English is
"deeply" resented among the Dutch. I suppose it it by some, but how many
people in a country need to resent a language before you can put that
country on the "resents it" list?

> If the political
> power of the US should falter, as seems likely given the self-destructive
> political situation here at present, the world-wide use of English will
> very likely disintegrate with it.

This, I think, may be the view of some subscribers to
alt.rec.anarchism.bomb.bomb.bomb, but I don't think many others can
possibly believe that the US will falter as you say. Too many countries
have a vested interest in the well-being of the US to let that happen.
That's just the way it is Joe. Real life in the world in this day and age.

I can appreciate trying to keep that Esperanto head above water--but
let's get real, it's a lost cause. After it drowns, don't bother with
"mouth-to-mouth".

Neal


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Neal L. Evenhuis                     |  tel:   (808) 848-4138
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