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Is English a Threat to EU Multilingualism? by Prof. Arturo Tosi
May 2012 18:30
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4May 2012 19:30
The Linguistics Club - European University Cyprus cordially invites you to a lecture on the topic, Is English a Threat to EU Multilingualism? by Prof. Arturo Tosi, Emeritus Professor University of London, Professor of Sociolinguistics University of Siena. The lecture will be held on Monday, 7th May 2012, 6:30 -7:30p.m. at Auditorium Alpha of European University Cyprus
Abstract
This lecture will deal with one of the most debated academic and policy issues in European linguistic circles: the position of English in Europe and its status within EU institutions. There are two schools of thought that have been discussing, for a number of years, planning matters, educational issues, and even translation methods and approaches. One school claims that English, although not yet de jure is de facto the EU lingua franca, and this poses a serious threat to other European languages. The other position claims that the EU should actually endorse the status of English as the official lingua franca for interaction between member states and their representatives. The claim is that, if official multilingualism was sustainable in the past, today with as many as 24 official languages a new and more realistic approach appears to be necessary. This should reduce the complex and expensive operation of multilingual translation, which neither seems to promote good communication nor appears to provide significant support for the vitality of other European languages.
Organizers: The Linguistics Club, President - Kalli Chimonides.
Club Advisor: Dr. Dimitra Karoulla-Vrikki, email: D.Karoulla@euc.ac.cy, Tel: 22713247 or 22713258