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Europäische Hochsprachen in der Klemme. Zwischen globalem Englisch, Dialekten und Regionalsprachen
(2008)
Starting from declarations of the EU, the value of European languages and their diversity according to their different territorial, social, and legal extensions are discussed. The Standard varieties of the various languages are emphasized as being especially important for national and European language policies and for individual language cultivation. They contributed and may continue to contribute more than other language varieties to the cultural wealth of Europe. On the other hand, their development is especially impaired by the increasing use of ‘global' English. The increasing tendency toward a diaglossia (English plus one other language) and the use of languages within the institutions of the EU are discussed. In conclusion, it is argued that although tolerance is necessary, it is not sufficient for a thriving further development of the European linguistic diversity.
Moderm European Science and culture evolved in the process of emancipation of various national languages from medieval Latin. At present, this development from monolingualism to multilingualism seems to be reversed in several scientific disciplines and in higher education. The former linguistic diversity turns gradually into a modern monolingualism of scientific English, especially in the natural and some social sciences. A short-term consequence is that researchers and Professors with other first languages need extra time and sometimes money to prepare their publications and lectures in English. Long-term consequences are, among others, that all languages exept English are devaluated as media of science and learning and, thus, a diglossia might develop if only English be used for the important domains and other languages be limited to the domains of private communication and folklore. The way out can only be through a cultivation of at least bilingualism of researchers, Professors, and their students in the natural sciences and trilingualism in social sciences and the humanities.