At 10:56 AM 3/14/03 -0500, Christopher BJ Smith wrote: >Hmm, which country is that? (big grin) I had thought you were in the >United States, but I have heard that you have proportionately about >as much Spanish as we Canadians have French, and there are enormous >areas where one can only get by in Spanish, or one of the Chinese >dialects. And I have had long conversations in French with many >American citizens who are simply more comfortable in that language, >up near here in Vermont and Maine. I may be mistaken, but I had >always thought that the US HADN'T declared a national official >language, in the way that Canada has declared two by federal law. Am >I wrong?
<G> We have lots of languages in various enclaves, and lots of cable channels in many languages. But no political divisions exist with their own languages and language police (like Québec's aggressive force!). And outside city neighborhoods or relatively closed communities, it's very hard to find anything but English used. Once you move away from coastal and border cities, it's pretty much an English-speaking span of 3,000 miles. There used to be an Italian community where I lived in New Jersey -- the only language spoken. But it's gone now, lost in just two generations. As for Vermont (where I live), I don't hear French spoken anymore within the state, except among aging & disappearing population. Too bad, really. It's a very cool form of French, and one which I hear on the CBC and have a hard time keeping up with (I learned the European variety). I'd expect Spanish to rise to more prominence over the coming years here in the US, but on the other hand, it seems English occupies the position Esperanto once aspired to. >And I guess you meant by "continent-spanning" that it was east-west, >because we can't forget that Canada and Mexico (at least) share the >continent to the north and south. Other than Australia, I don't know of any north-south continent-spanning countries ... and their language is English, too, but not so I'd know it. :) Must go now & forego the pleasures. Actual score preparation to do, and some concerts to engineer over the next few days. Dennis _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
