Diversity or lingua franca for Europe?

Four out of five people questioned in a straw poll carried out by David Crystal, honorary professor of linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor, do not believe that diversity in languages is beneficial. They cited as reasons the Tower of Babel effect or a belief in a world of peace generated by monolingualism.

In contrast, a new Eurobarometer on Europeans and languages, released at the launch of the European Year of Languages, suggests that seven out of ten Europeans believe that language skills are useful, that everyone should be able to speak a foreign language and that everyone should be able to speak English.

It also reveals that 22 per cent of Europeans do not consider themselves to be good at languages and that only 40 per cent feel that the availability of language courses is good where they live.

European commissioner for education and culture Viviane Reding told 400 delegates from European ministries, universities and educational and linguistic centres: "In the open single market, speaking a foreign language is a necessity. Learning languages preserves peace."

The European Year of Languages is a joint effort by the Council of Europe and the European Union to promote linguistic diversity in Europe.

The Council of Europe has helped member states develop tools to promote the teaching of almost 30 national and regional languages and adopted the European charter for regional or minority languages to protect and promote them as a vital aspect of Europe's rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

But Peter Medgyes, of Eotvos Lorand University, Hungary, said: "At this meeting there is interpretation of 11 languages (and sign language) for the 45 member countries of the Council of Europe. Shouldn't we be trying to communicate with each other without interpreters?"