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From: tbray@mprvaxa.UUCP (Tim Bray)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: English-only Speakers as Uncultured Slobs
Message-ID: <480@mprvaxa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Feb-84 11:17:35 EST
Article-I.D.: mprvaxa.480
Posted: Wed Feb 29 11:17:35 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Mar-84 09:15:01 EST
References: <5761@decwrl.UUCP> <747@psuvax.UUCP>, <201@masscomp.UUCP>
Organization: Microtel Pacific Research, Burnaby BC
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The issue of uni- vs. multi- lingualism is a central one to us Canadians.

Having lived in North America and overseas, it is my perception that
people who speak more than one language are more likely to be open-minded,
well-informed, and better citizens of the world.

Also, there is a significant proportion of unilingual anglophones who
fall broadly into the redneck category.  They base the silliest sort of
cultural chauvinism on the fact that English is an international lingua 
franca for many disciplines.

I love the English language.  But I would hate to be limited to it.

Moldy old European joke: 
 "What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages?" "Trilingual".
 "What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages?" "Bilingual".
 "What do you call someone who only speaks 1 language?" "American."

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