Monday, 28 March 2011
Patricia Ryan: Don't insist on English!
Summary:
According to Patricia Ryan’s lecture, she talks about languages lost and languages’ globalization, especially English. She has been an English teacher for 30 years, so she has seen lots of changes nowadays. One of the shocking result is there are 6000 languages in the world, but there are 600 languages in 90 years. In fact, a language dies in every 14 days. Thus, she explains what the reason of losing languages is. Parents always focus on English since they want their children have the best chance in their life. For instance, she gives an example from her daughter who studies in England has the best grade in Science and Mathematics class. She believes that when students come to learn English from the world, they didn’t give enough credits for what they know because these students know their own languages. Finally, she says that people not only focus on English tests, but also “Mind your languages” and use it to spread ideas in future. (words: 165)
Response:
I m so surprised that we are losing a language in every 14 days. I think people should know it before study other languages. In fact, I will always think that why people have to study English rather than other languages. It’s true that we can get a better life, education or job in English. However, I think we have to keep our own languages as well. I think Patricia Ryan has the best example for audiences. People always concentrate on English tests, especially TOFEL and IELTS. For example, Anna told me that Koreans use TOFEL or IELTS for careers. Koreans usually take these English tests for getting a good job. Unfortunately, I think English may be important for the world because this is a global language. Thus, we should know our own languages are also important and spread our ideas for next generations. (words: 144)
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I agree with you, Irene. Language learning is really important to our daily life. Language environment for learning the language has a great influence. If you learn English, you cannot ignore the culture and way of life. Imagine if you are in the United States is all about English, and your English is not very good, and there are certain difficulties to communicate with others. In this case you will learn English. In the English-speaking countries to learn English Progress will be very fast. In the international political, military, economic, technological, cultural, trade, transportation and other fields, English is an important communication tool. It helps to push your career forward. But if you do not master the native language proficiency, you can not blind yourself to learn English. If a person is not learning native language well, how can he learn other languages? So I think the premise is to learn our own language well, and then learn English.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Irene, because I think that we should never forget our native language. I think this, because in my opinion my native language is part of my culture, my life and my identity. Without it I will not be the person who I am right now. I think is really sad how people forget and abandon their roots. However, I think that English is a very important language to learn. In today's world, globalization is one of the most important process. Thanks to this process the world is being connected and somehow it is being unified. This has many improvements in our lives, such as better technologies, cheaper foods and development, but this amazing process is only possible thanks to the sharing of a “universal language”in this case English.
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ReplyDeleteI hate English, but I am studying English now. The reason is in the lecture of Patricia Ryan. I want to study abroad because I think that it is better for me to study in the country which uses the language written in my textbooks. I am having a hard time now, but my first semester at university was really tougher than now because all of my textbooks were written in English. After graduation, it seemed that English had nothing to do with me. However, English became very important to me as soon as I decided that I started to study again. That’s because I had to take the TOEFL test to receive an acceptance for admission to college. This is just my case, but I think that other people are also not irrelevant to English. However, I am very worried about some parents who teach English to very young kids who never learn their own language because this may be a shortcut that makes some languages disappear. Thus, I agree with Irene’s opinion that “We have to keep our own languages.”
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After some points in my life, I decided to love English since it makes me feel less stress. Canadians and ESL students in my class probably will be surprised if they know how many English Academies are in my town in Korea. As a matter of the fact, once I decided to drop English class in Korea since there are 2oo people in one class in order to learn English. I hardly could see a teacher’s face. The interesting fact is most of them there hate English and cannot simply express their opinion in English. The reason I decided to change my mind is for my future and understanding surrounding situation around me. Even though we can avoid learning English, we will lose a lot of chance during our life time since we live in globalized world. However, I believe even though English has become a common language for people in the world, it will not dominate others’ language since from my view, learning English is not easy for some people.
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I always enjoy reading all your comments, and then I know what people’s opinions are about the particular topic is. I found this presentation very amazing. I have never thought about that a language can disappear like this. That’s true that the English language became the most useable language in the world. I can see the point why it is, for example, lot of native English speakers don’t see the reason to learn a foreign language. It is not because they are lazy, but they don’t have to because everybody is learning English. On the other hand, second language speakers should not forget their mother language and spread it to their children.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Irene. I was also surprised that a language dies in every 14 days. I never know a language can be disappeared so fast. Patricia Ryan gives us a really lesson which is what we are facing t. Like us, we are studying in Canada for a better education and life, and we jealous people who can speak native English. We hope we can be the one who is bore here and grow here. However, we forget our own languages. Languages are also part of our marks and cultures, so languages show where we are from. Moreover, our own languages make us special from other people. Although English is important and very helpful for our study and job, we should keep our own languages. I cannot imagine that one day all the people speak only one language. Let us keep our own languages and make the world more colorful.
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I agree with Irene’s view about first preference of English language. Language is the way in which we can express our feelings and emotions and we can communicate with each other. When we born, we learn language from our parents and our family, this language becomes our mother tongue. When we grow up and go to school, we start learning other regional languages and international language English. Later on, our parents insist us to get education in English medium. In my home country, a few years ago, children of my village went to regional language school, but now scene has changed and the parents send their children to English medium schools. It is not bad that we learn English, but it is also not good if we forget our language. So, we should maintain the balance between our mother tongue and English. In today’s world, English language is necessity for everything, but we cannot avoid the extinction of other languages.(Word count: 160)
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