EUROPEAN UNION AND COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S LANGUAGE TRENDS

Abstract

It is estimated that in a few years, 1.5 billion people – a quarter of the total world population – will speak English. And majority will speak a second or third language (only for 400000000 English becomes in their native language). Three quarters of world correspondence and 80 % of e-mail on the Internet are now in English. However, the study of one language does not take place at the expense of another national, regional or minority language, which are equally important in the conditions of development and enrichment.

The article highlights the peculiarities of introducing language policy trends of the European Union and the Council of Europe in globalization context at maintaining and protecting European linguistic diversity, not only acquiring the English language as linguafranca in international communication. The Council of Europe and the European Union emphasize the importance of linguistic diversity and plurilingual skills at all levels of education, and the mass media should be the source of informal language learning via entertaining and educational programs and movies with subtitles.

The media are important for shaping people's attitudes towards other languages and cultures. The documents of the European Union and the Council of Europe determine that the media should provide people who do not speak many languages with new technologies and translation

In a globalized world, cultural diversity will become even more important as means of preserving human values. Learning a language means learning how to get closer to others. Learning a foreign language means equipping oneself with intellectual means to meet the real and the unknown, personal enrichment for knowing other cultures and their worldview.

Therefore, the fundamental principles of the European Union and the Council of Europe in the field of language policy are the preservation and protection of European diversity, which should lead not only to the acquisition of English, but also to other European and world languages by all the inhabitants of Europe, simultaneously studying different regional languages.

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References

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