The European Day of The European Day of LanguagesLanguages
Le Lingue e la cultura non Le Lingue e la cultura non conoscono frontiereconoscono frontiere
Peter BrownPeter Brown
Director, British School Trieste Director, British School Trieste Founder Chair, EAQUALSFounder Chair, EAQUALS
Europe Direct – Comune di Trieste Europe Direct – Comune di Trieste 26 Settembre 2006 26 Settembre 2006
BackgroundBackground
The Council of The Council of Europe:Europe:
Founded in 1949Founded in 1949 46 member states46 member states Distinct from the EUDistinct from the EU Based in StrasbourgBased in Strasbourg on the principles of:on the principles of:
DemocracyDemocracy The Rule of LawThe Rule of Law Human RightsHuman Rights
Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
In 1946In 1946 gave two key gave two key
speeches which speeches which changed our changed our understanding our understanding our EuropeEurope
5th March – Fulton5th March – Fulton 19th September - 19th September -
ZurichZurich
British School Trieste British School Trieste EDL - 26 September 2006 EDL - 26 September 2006
barbecuebarbecue tattootattoo
zerozerosagasagacruisecruise
shampooshampoo cravatcravat penguinpenguin bistrobistro mosquitomosquito
Native CubanNative CubanPolynesianPolynesianArabicArabicIcelandicIcelandic
DutchDutch HindiHindi CroatianCroatian WelshWelsh RussianRussian SpanishSpanish
Linguistic Diversity - 1Linguistic Diversity - 1
6000-7000 languages
6bn people | 189 states
Losing 1 language a day
3% languages in Europe
>50% world’s population
estimated as plurilingual
Some facts: Some research:
Languages borrow
Languages are related
Multilingual (L >300)
Babies hear >40 vowels
Children learn all
languages equally easily
Linguistic EuropeLinguistic Europe
≧ ≧ 225 languages225 languages 3 main families3 main families
GermanicGermanic RomanceRomance SlavicSlavic
all 3 in Triesteall 3 in Trieste most use the Latin most use the Latin
alphabet, but ....alphabet, but ....
Linguistic Diversity - 2Linguistic Diversity - 2
Russian
German
English
French
Italian
Europe: most common mother tongues:
Europe: common immigrant languages (London):
Arabic
Turkish
Kurdish
Berber
Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, ….
www.alpeadria.orgwww.alpeadria.org
DeutschHrvatskiItalianoMagyar
SlovenskoEnglish
PolyphiloprogenitivPolyphiloprogenitive ..e ..
(T.S. Eliot)(T.S. Eliot)
In the beginning was the In the beginning was the WordWord
In principio era il In principio era il VerboVerbo
(from (from logoslogos...)...)
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Base Language
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Local Separation
• Experience
• KnowledgeBase
Language
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Local Separation
• Experience
• KnowledgeBase
Language
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Local Separation
• Experience
• KnowledgeBase
Language
Local evolved
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Local Separation
• Experience
• KnowledgeBase
Language
Base
Local evolved
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Interacts ind.
Local Separation
• Experience
• KnowledgeBase
Language
Base
Local evolved
Language MigrationLanguage Migration
Interacts ind.
Local Separation
• Experience
• KnowledgeBase
Language
Base
Local evolved
New Language evolves
Frontiers
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
Frontiers
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
International
Political, Borders,
Wars
Frontiers
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Frontiers
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Frontiers
Sciencemaths
astronomy medicine physics
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Frontiers
Sciencemaths
astronomy medicine physics
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
Philosophy Religion
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Frontiers
Sciencemaths
astronomy medicine physics
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
Philosophy Religion
Arts, drama, architecture
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Frontiers
Sciencemaths
astronomy medicine physics
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
Philosophy Religion
Arts, drama, architecture
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Growth
Age
Frontiers
Sciencemaths
astronomy medicine physics
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
Philosophy Religion
Arts, drama, architecture
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Growth
AgeKnowledge base Intercultural Und
Frontiers
Sciencemaths
astronomy medicine physics
NaturalSeas, lakes, ..Mountains, ..
No Frontiers
Philosophy Religion
Arts, drama, architecture
International
Political, Borders,
WarsCulturalBehaviourMeanings
Information HighwayInformation Highway
Growth
AgeKnowledge base Intercultural Und
Frontiers
M E Raichle M.D. Washington U M E Raichle M.D. Washington U School of Medicine St. LouisSchool of Medicine St. Louis
2929
Raichle Neuro imagingRaichle Neuro imaging
Marcus E. Raichle. M.D. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
High
Low
Bra
in a
ctiv
ity
SEEING + HEARINGWORDS
Indeed, all areas involved in each of the separate activities are now involved simultaneously.
Above: the result of experiments where people were confronted with simple reading (left picture) or simple listening (right picture) tasks. Amount of activity in different areas of the brain is shown by color shades. High activity is yellow, low activity is blue. Other colors mark a range of intermediate degrees of activity (see legend to the top right).
We can clearly see that different language activities are handled in different areas of the human brain.
What will happen if we present two tasks simultaneously?
Language is the light of reason..,Language is the light of reason..,
““words are the signs of ideas...”words are the signs of ideas...” Language diversity (opportunity v. threat)Language diversity (opportunity v. threat) Diversity impliesDiversity implies
KnowledgeKnowledge FrontiersFrontiers CultureCulture
““invisible cities” (Italo Calvino on translation)invisible cities” (Italo Calvino on translation) Myrddin “I know why men are troubled...”Myrddin “I know why men are troubled...” My languages define meMy languages define me
As pine treesAs pine trees
Hold the wind’s imprintHold the wind’s imprint
After the wind is gone, is no longer After the wind is gone, is no longer therethere
So wordsSo words
Retain a man’s imprintRetain a man’s imprint
After the man is gone, is no longer After the man is gone, is no longer therethere
George Seferis (Greek Poet – 1966)George Seferis (Greek Poet – 1966)
Recognised by Recognised by The Council of Europe The Council of Europe
British School Trieste 2006
The European Association The European Association for Quality Language Servicesfor Quality Language Services