MAKING EUROPE MULTILINGUAL

These are proposals to introduce multilingualism in Europe, and reverse the existing Atlanticist pattern of language use - national language + English. Most of these proposals are simple reversals of the language policy of monolingual nation states. The contribution starts with examples of language use in Europe and especially institutions within the EU. Proposals include restriction on the use of English, compulsory multilingualism in publications, and equality of language use. The proposals are not directed at the preservation of a linguistic heritage.

Language use in Europe today

The general pattern of language use follows geopolitics: national language + English in western Europe. Similarly, Russian + ethnic language was the pattern in eastern Europe. This means that in the EU English is the usual language of contact between two persons who do not speak each others language. Although there is an official EU policy of equal status for other languages, only English has the de facto status of language of contact. Changing this situation would require a different language policy. The pressure for increasing use of English comes primarily from the tertiary education sector, which defines English as the global language of science and education. This is true at present, but it is not inevitable. In turn, the labour market favours speakers of English.

The examples show how English is given a superior status, also by the EU: this special status is not given to any other language. They also show how monolingualism is still standard practice in society: society, in Europe, is usually a nation state. The examples are illustrative, and not intended as a representative guide to language policy.

Universities

1. If a second language is required for entrance to a university, it is almost always English.
2. A native speaker of English can become a Professor of Physics without learning any other language. This is not possible in reverse: a passive knowledge of English is essential in the natural sciences.
3. English speaking students in Britain can complete a university course and acquire a degree without speaking any other language. This is becoming an exceptional situation unique to Britain, and unique for English-speaking students.
4. Almost all academic journals published in English refuse to accept contributions in other languages. This does not apply in reverse: many researchers prefer to publish in English, because such publication are considered to have more value.
5. Research staff are often assessed on their publications: publication in a major international journal counts for more, and those journals are almost all in English.

Exchange and international programs

1. Universities in the Netherlands have introduced special international courses for students in the ERASMUS (SOCRATES) programme. Almost all are in English. Probably this pattern will apply in most of Europe in the next 5 years.
2. ERASMUS students from Britain and Ireland are therefore not required to learn another language, the only ERASMUS students with this de facto privilege.
3. International exchange programs are predominantly English language.

EU policy

1. The EU claims to want a multilingual Information Society, but it supports Telecity or Telepolis projects, which are monolingual, or at best in the regional language + English.
2. English is the dominant language of conferences, even if they are funded by the EU.
3. The EU supports many science and technology research projects. Almost all the results are published in English.
4. EU-funded research publications often include references to literature in English only.
5. The EU supports projects in regional development, agrotourism, business information, community development, technology transfer, and more. Almost every one of these projects is monolingual.

Employment

1. Selection is almost always on the basis of national language. This is the most effective barrier to migration in Europe: several years of residence and language learning are required to enter the labour market.
2. Where there is a category of employees, with high labour mobility across all EU countries, the language used is predominantly English.

Proposed measures

Education

* Multilingualism should be a condition of access to tertiary education. * Monolingual tertiary education should be abolished, if necessary by closing traditional monolingual institutions. * Degrees obtained in monolingual education at monolingual universities should be invalidated, if the holder does not take supplementary courses in another language, within a specified period. (Approximately 5 years seems appropriate).

* Product information should be available in a maximum of languages. * Packacing and labeling should be multilingual - to the maximum possible extent. Some products can already carry information in 10 languages: this should be typical practice.

* All research funded by the EU should result in multilingual publications, and not first in English. * It should be a condition of support for academic media (journals), that every article is published in at least one translation. * No monolingual conferences in English should be funded by the EU.

* Newspapers and magazines should be multilingual. This cannot be considered as censorship, since it increases the number of people who can read each text. * As an indication, a maximum of 90% in a daily publication should be in any one language, and it should carry at least 3 languages. * In weekly or monthly publications, with less pressure of time, a maximum of 75% in any one language

Employment

1. No person should be refused a job, simply on the grounds that they do not speak English.
2. No person competent in four European languages should be refused employment on grounds of language. For example, someone who speaks Polish, Russian, German and French, should not be refused a job in London for not speaking English.