tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938368297568836631.comments2023-06-21T11:38:06.049+01:00The Editorial Training blogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01128937485093967603noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938368297568836631.post-80253172635918032272012-10-05T21:30:42.520+01:002012-10-05T21:30:42.520+01:00It's an interesting subject and something I...It's an interesting subject and something I've pondered on recently. I think what most people want in a book is a compelling story, well-paced with characters they can identify with - whether heroes or anti-heroes. You only have to look at the bestseller lists to see what people enjoy reading and it is mostly escapist - whether thriller or romance. So I think that, however we might want the literary landscape to be, many readers (myself included) can overlook less than perfect writing if the story or characters grab us by the balls! Jane Ayreshttp://www.janeayres.blogspot.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938368297568836631.post-29178930612713749162011-11-26T07:14:18.570+00:002011-11-26T07:14:18.570+00:00Thank you for your great work and… this Blog is a ...Thank you for your great work and… this Blog is a really pleasant surprise! Keep up the good work! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.toolsforenglish.com" rel="nofollow">tools for english</a>Tools For Englishhttp://www.toolsforenglish.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938368297568836631.post-23155051078914564802009-09-23T11:31:44.784+01:002009-09-23T11:31:44.784+01:00I think English is the closest thing to a democrat...I think English is the closest thing to a democratic lingua franca we're likely to get. The reasons for it may be nothing to be proud of (especially Britain's sinister colonial past), but the flexibility and sponge-like qualities of English are, I think, something to be celebrated; as is, incidentally, diversity in language in general. Brian, I know what you mean about London. I was at a tram stop in Croydon recently and heard at least five languages being spoken. But English is still everywhere, and the relatively easy grammar makes it fairly simple to learn. EXCEPT for the spelling, which is both phonetic and non-phonetic at the same time! :-) <br /><br />Venus, I love your story, not least because the Russian girl would have got a slightly different answer had she walked into a library here in England :-). Now that is confusing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01128937485093967603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938368297568836631.post-55975259823736703142009-09-23T04:53:44.882+01:002009-09-23T04:53:44.882+01:00I had a girl (Russian I think) walk up to me once ...I had a girl (Russian I think) walk up to me once in the Library and asked me how to pronounce DO. Then she asked how to pronounce DEW and then DUE. When I informed her they were all pronounced the same, she shook her head and said, "English is very confusing." Never thought about it much until that day. Now I think about it all the time. I love language.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02066282166494052315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938368297568836631.post-24365917955403458372009-09-23T00:44:41.096+01:002009-09-23T00:44:41.096+01:00Hello Alex
Please do not overestimate the positio...Hello Alex<br /><br />Please do not overestimate the position of English.<br /><br />I live in London and if anyone says to me “everyone speaks English” my answer is “Listen and look around you”. If people in London do not speak English then the whole question of a global language is completely open.<br /><br />I think that the promulgation of English as the world’s “lingua franca” is impractical and linguistically undemocratic. I say this as a native English speaker!<br /><br />Impractical because communication should be for all and not only for an educational or political elite. That is how English is used internationally at the moment.<br /><br />Undemocratic because minority languages are under attack worldwide due to the encroachment of majority ethnic languages. Even Mandarin Chinese is attempting to dominate as well. The long-term solution must be found and a non-national language, which places all ethnic languages on an equal footing is essential. As a native English speaker, my vote is for Esperanto :)<br /><br />Your readers may be interested in seeing http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU Professor Piron was a former translator with the United Nations<br /><br />A glimpse of the global language,Esperanto, can be seen at http://www.lernu.netBrian Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17619597021388228806noreply@blogger.com