The death of English has been exaggerated greatly

I have had a sneaking suspicion that, over the next 10 years, as the Chinese emerge as the number one global economy, that English will disappear as the language of business and travel. After this week, I have had second thoughts.

I was at a trade conference in Budapest, Hungary, a beautiful city with much to offer. I got the impression that it is a vacation destination due to its central European location and numerous natural "baths".

I was struck quickly by how easy it was for me to communicate. Everyone was speaking in English. As I sat at restaurants and visited sites and shops, English was all around. The Italians, French, Germans, Japanese, Swedes, Chinese, and even the Hungarians (and other folks as well) all spoke English, not just to me, but to each other. Italians cannot speak Hungarian, nor can Germans, and so on, so everyone conversed in English. This represents an interesting issue and involves billions of people. Basically, due to the huge influence of Britain and the US after World War II and into the travel and international business age, everyone learned English. Some folks learned other languages, but in Europe, in particular, I think it is clear. Germans know German, and they were taught English, but they do business all over Europe (now the world). Maybe they pick up another language or two, but they cannot cover them all, so English is something they all have in common.

I know now, in retrospect, that this makes sense. But, until I went to a city in a country that was a real tourist destination, I did not realize how pervasive the use of English is. I had an easier time getting around Budapest than any city I have ever visited where English was not a native tongue.

I think, too, that there are other barriers to Chinese becoming a global language:

• It is a difficult language, foreign in structure and tone to most of the business and travel world.
• Which dialect should you learn? (I don't know, perhaps one is dominant enough in China to suffice.)
• There is not yet a global driver to teach it in European, North or South American schools. Kids in these regions that do not already speak English, normally have the option to learn it in school.

So, I can focus on the languages I need most. I tip my hat to those who would try to learn Chinese; they will have a great advantage in the business world to come.

This is not your Caesar's Latin

I was walking through Budapest today and stumbled onto the basilica. There was an inscription on it that made me think back to my Latin studies in junior high and high school ...

"Ego sum via, veritas, et vitas."

I was pleased that it hit me immediately that this was messed up. Latin always has the verb at the end and there is no special word for I. Clearly, someone, versed in English, was trying to say:

I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Seems odd to have this carved into 75 year old stone, though; especially at the top of the entrance to the basilica.

Faulty Logic

I was listening to NPR yesterday on the way home from the airport. I got a bit furious over one of the commentators who stated that the Tea Party and the Republicans are arguing two sides of the same coin. According to the commentator, the groups want smaller government with less deficit spending yet they both want tax cuts to remain in place for all people (yes, including the "rich"). She said that this makes no sense and is mutually incompatible.

Talk about faulty logic. Is it not easy to see that you can hold both of these tenets (as I do) by reducing government spending? Spend less, much less (enough to cover continuing the tax relief) and deficits will go down. Tax cuts (continued ... not new ones) and deficit reduction. What is incompatible about this?