How'd you react if English replaced your country's native language as the official language?

[Tooting Carmen]

Sadly, they wouldn't. In fact, recently our legislators here mandated its teaching on all schools at the primary level, smh.

But as a foreign language subject, not in the sense of classes being split 50/50 between English-medium and Spanish-medium, surely? And why wouldn't Dominicans protest, given that at least 70% cannot speak more than at most rudimentary English?

[Andullero]

But as a foreign language subject, not in the sense of classes being split 50/50 between English-medium and Spanish-medium, surely?

The former, for now.

And why wouldn't Dominicans protest, given that at least 70% cannot speak more than at most rudimentary English?

Because it is seem as a status symbol, just another trapping of wealth here. Domis aren't that terribly removed from Ricans in subservience to DC I'm afraid.

[Tooting Carmen]

The former, for now.

Watch this space. In the name of 'internationalisation', the latter might creep in too.

Because it is seen as a status symbol, just another trapping of wealth here. Domis aren't that terribly removed from Ricans in subservience to DC I'm afraid.

Yes but what proportion can speak it (and not to mention read it) well? Even in PR, the figures I have seen vary between 40-60%, so I cannot imagine English being anywhere near universal in DR either.

[Andullero]

Watch this space. In the name of 'internationalisation', the latter might creep in too.



Yes but what proportion can speak it (and not to mention read it) well? Even in PR, the figures I have seen vary between 40-60%, so I cannot imagine English being anywhere near universal in DR either.

I'd say, roughly, a 30% give or take. More or less the size of the middle class, properly speaking.

[NSXD60]

The Spanish are obsessed with being the lingua franca, but that might only happen should they adopt Italian, dump Spanish, and learn proper enunciation, because its speakers are equally annoyingly sloppy with it or English, and don't even know it! Who knows, maybe 700 years of Muzzies mouthing it completely effed their speaking habits.

[Tooting Carmen]

I'd say, roughly, a 30% give or take. More or less the size of the middle class, properly speaking.

OK but what would happen to the other 70%, were such a decree passed?

[Andullero]

OK but what would happen to the other 70%, were such a decree passed?

Their literacy on the language would grow, and a non-trivial part would do like that Italian dude you interacted with at the museum and start using it more than their native Spanish. I know because I used to act that way, but it wore away after a time.

[Tooting Carmen]

Their literacy on the language would grow, and a non-trivial part would do like that Italian dude you interacted with at the museum and start using it more than their native Spanish. I know because I used to act that way, but it wore away after a time.

He wasn't Italian, that's the point. I think he was French as it happens, but a foreigner either way. Basically, the museum prioritised knowing English (and to an extent other foreign languages too) over knowing Italian itself, even though it is perfectly possible to require staff to speak both English and Italian (along with something else in some cases too). More generally, the phenomenon I broadly call "English-language privilege" is precisely the cult of privileging knowledge of English over any and all other considerations, even in countries where it has no official status whatsoever and are as different as Italy and Saudi Arabia. (In that same thread, I explained how many Saudi hospitals hire interpreters because the nurses and doctors cannot actually speak the country's language, which is utterly preposterous and back-to-front - usually, hospitals hire interpreters because patients and their relatives cannot speak the language, not staff).

[Roy]

The Spanish are obsessed with being the lingua franca, but that might only happen should they adopt Italian, dump Spanish, and learn proper enunciation, because its speakers are equally annoyingly sloppy with it or English, and don't even know it! Who knows, maybe 700 years of Muzzies mouthing it completely effed their speaking habits.

I find your complain pretty gross considering how little of Americans can speak any foreign language.

[Atlantic Reptilian]

I wouldn't mind. I have always been more prone to using English.

And I score almost 100% on English comprehension tests without trying.