05.28.2008 5:49 pm
English: Just another ‘piece of technology’
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
From the Freakonomics gang, a conversation about what globalization will do to language, including this observation:
English is a tool, just like a piece of technology. Much of the world’s economy is tied up in English-speaking countries and for that reason, English is like a cell phone provider offering the best plan. But if the dollar continues to drop, the most viable option could shift. Mexico and Korea don’t need English to communicate if Korea begins to find it profitable to learn Spanish.
Eddie Roth writes about education, social justice, public safety, transportation, legal affairs and historic preservation. He joined the Post-Dispatch editorial page in 2008 after six years as an editorial writer with the Dayton Daily News. But he is not new to St. Louis. Eddie grew up in Webster Groves and south St. Louis County. He's a lawyer who for many years practiced with a downtown firm, and was active in civic affairs, including serving a term on the St. Louis Police Board. He and his wife, Jeanne, and their three daughters, Emily, Julia and Alice, live in the Shaw Neighborhood.
When it comes to community organizing, he endorses Quentin Crisp's advice: Rather than keeping up with the Joneses, it's better to pull them down to your level. 
Nearly 60 years since high school Spanish, and I’m still trying to learn enough to carry on a conversation. It’s a shame that so few Americans can speak another language, and that even fewer seem to care.
Some time ago, I was approached by a gentleman in Russia. His very young daughter wanted to try her English and asked “Why don’t Americans speak Russian?” All I could think to tell her was that Americans aren’t very good students. She politely accepted that.
Eleven years ago on the Greek island of Mykonos a group of young men were playing pick up basketball. When they observed two american couples theyapproached us and spoke perfect english. I inquired how many languages they studied in school and they responded, four. Greek, Ancient Greek an elective european language, and the required English.
As we intentionally devalue the dollar, which is dangerous as a debtor nation, will english be replaced as the business language of the world?
jerele… Despite the highest per student spending for education in the world the U.S. can’t even teach English as well as many non English speaking countries. Ask an average public high school senior to compose a simple business letter and observe the result. Entertainment, sports, and consumption are much higher priorities in LBJ’s “Great Society.”