“The more languages, the more English?”
-
Jacomine M. Nortier
Abstract
This article explores the empirical basis for the publicly expressed impressions and feelings that the impact and importance of English are a threat to the status and use of Dutch. This is done by looking at various linguistic and sociolinguistic phenomena. Among these, for instance, are the integration of English loan words into Dutch, the use of English in Dutch advertising and the use of English within the context of European Union meetings in Brussels. Although in some situations Dutch is indeed losing out to English, the overall finding is that contrary to public opinion Dutch is by no means in danger.
Abstract
This article explores the empirical basis for the publicly expressed impressions and feelings that the impact and importance of English are a threat to the status and use of Dutch. This is done by looking at various linguistic and sociolinguistic phenomena. Among these, for instance, are the integration of English loan words into Dutch, the use of English in Dutch advertising and the use of English within the context of European Union meetings in Brussels. Although in some situations Dutch is indeed losing out to English, the overall finding is that contrary to public opinion Dutch is by no means in danger.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors ix
- Acknowledgement xi
- The dynamics of English in a multilingual Europe 1
- The increasing role of English in Basque education 15
- English language testing 31
- When comprehension is crucial 51
- English as a lingua franca and the Standard English misunderstanding 71
- The early acquisition of English as a second language 95
- “The more languages, the more English?” 113
- Conceptualizing ‘English’ for a multilingual Europe 133
- English as a foreign language 147
- Index 167
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors ix
- Acknowledgement xi
- The dynamics of English in a multilingual Europe 1
- The increasing role of English in Basque education 15
- English language testing 31
- When comprehension is crucial 51
- English as a lingua franca and the Standard English misunderstanding 71
- The early acquisition of English as a second language 95
- “The more languages, the more English?” 113
- Conceptualizing ‘English’ for a multilingual Europe 133
- English as a foreign language 147
- Index 167
