forgetting your roots

[vidcc]

OK, I'll bite.
Where do YOU see the world of commerce heading?
Which wolf is going to become dominant?

My guess would be China.

China and indeed Asia in general do seem to be the front runners at present but if you look at outsourcing it's a case of "go where it's cheapest". and Latin American could easily compete given the will power to do it.
Not in our lifetime but there possibly will come a time when we see Asia and Latin American outsourcing jobs to the USA.
You mentioned all trade being done in English...That's probably because AT PRESENT English is the standard. This may have a lot to do with who is the strongest economic influence at the moment and with the changing tides we may see a more dominant nation demanding we deal with them rather than the other way round (if that makes sense).

My point being that as time goes by more nations are developing and the US has greater competition

Spanish was just an example of a possible second language in the US purely based on numbers. Who knows, in 100 years it may be the dominant language.

@ busy

you seem to be frothing at the mouth.

[Busyman]

China and indeed Asia in general do seem to be the front runners at present but if you look at outsourcing it's a case of "go where it's cheapest". and Latin American could easily compete given the will power to do it.
Not in our lifetime but there possibly will come a time when we see Asia and Latin American outsourcing jobs to the USA.
You mentioned all trade being done in English...That's probably because AT PRESENT English is the standard. This may have a lot to do with who is the strongest economic influence at the moment and with the changing tides we may see a more dominant nation demanding we deal with them rather than the other way round (if that makes sense).

My point being that as time goes by more nations are developing and the US has greater competition

Spanish was just an example of a possible second language in the US purely based on numbers. Who knows, in 100 years it may be the dominant language.

@ busy

you seem to be frothing at the mouth.

I leave the frothing to you. The way you've been on my nut sac I doubt that's froth around your mouth.
Ya just can't leave it alone can ya? Keep licking and get this expression of your face (among other things).

Regarding the rest of your post, it kinda goes without saying....

We have competition (and have had it for years)
Other nations could rise up and become economic superpowers.
Who knows, Spanish may be dominant but maybe not.

Uhh yeah.

If one of the biggest industrialized nations (us) placates to Hispanics then it just might become a dominant language.

Why do it in the first place?

[vidcc]

I leave the frothing to you. The way you've been on my nut sac I doubt that's froth around your mouth.
Ya just can't leave it alone can ya? Keep licking and get this expression of your face (among other things).

[Busyman]

edit:nvm not neccesary anymore

[clocker]

China and indeed Asia in general do seem to be the front runners at present but if you look at outsourcing it's a case of "go where it's cheapest". and Latin American could easily compete given the will power to do it.

Naturally, "given the willpower" any nation could rise to competitive levels, but cheap labor and willpower alone won't do it.
Creating the necessary infrastructure to support a thriving economy takes decades, especially now that education supercedes raw material/manpower as the critical factor.

India, Japan and (more recently) China have all directed concentrated efforts into their educational systems and the resulting outflow of qualified engineers and scientists almost guarantees their eventual dominance. This, coupled with very large populations (well, not Japan so much) AND access to vast quantities of raw material (especially in the case of China), makes them almost a sure thing.

Given that the power elite of these countries are all learning English as their second language it seems likely that it will remain the dominant language of business at least, for the forseeable future.

But who knows?
Our great grandchildren may all converse in Urdu given the right circumstances.
But prolly not Spanish.

[vidcc]

Naturally, "given the willpower" any nation could rise to competitive levels, but cheap labor and willpower alone won't do it.
Creating the necessary infrastructure to support a thriving economy takes decades, especially now that education supercedes raw material/manpower as the critical factor.

i think that goes without saying

India, Japan and (more recently) China have all directed concentrated efforts into their educational systems and the resulting outflow of qualified engineers and scientists almost guarantees their eventual dominance. This, coupled with very large populations (well, not Japan so much) AND access to vast quantities of raw material (especially in the case of China), makes them almost a sure thing.

Given that the power elite of these countries are all learning English as their second language it seems likely that it will remain the dominant language of business at least, for the forseeable future.

But who knows?
Our great grandchildren may all converse in Urdu given the right circumstances.
But prolly not Spanish.

again spanish was just an example

[vidcc]

edit
i can't be bothered

[Busyman]

Naturally, "given the willpower" any nation could rise to competitive levels, but cheap labor and willpower alone won't do it.
Creating the necessary infrastructure to support a thriving economy takes decades, especially now that education supercedes raw material/manpower as the critical factor.

India, Japan and (more recently) China have all directed concentrated efforts into their educational systems and the resulting outflow of qualified engineers and scientists almost guarantees their eventual dominance. This, coupled with very large populations (well, not Japan so much) AND access to vast quantities of raw material (especially in the case of China), makes them almost a sure thing.

Given that the power elite of these countries are all learning English as their second language it seems likely that it will remain the dominant language of business at least, for the forseeable future.

But who knows?
Our great grandchildren may all converse in Urdu given the right circumstances.
But prolly not Spanish.

Good points.

China didn't have in influx of English speakers in their country. They injected English into their education due to English dominance in the global marketplace.

Our country, in contrast, seems to be watering itself down by creating a complexity that previously did not exist. The fact that the up and coming superpowers are learning our language is a good indication that we should not sit another language side-by-side with ours in any way....especially Spanish.

Even though China is learning English, you would think that we should learn Chinese but again, they are placating to us so there's no need for vice-versa.

[vidcc]

Even though China is learning English, you would think that we should learn Chinese but again, they are placating to us so there's no need for vice-versa.

Don't you think that they are rising because in part (notice IN PART) because they have the sense to have a second language?

They see a need and answer that need...whereas here the opinion seems to be "why bother?"...... an attitude that could bite us on the ass in the future.

[j2k4]

Don't you think that they are rising because in part (notice IN PART) because they have the sense to have a second language?

They see a need and answer that need...whereas here the opinion seems to be "why bother?"...... an attitude that could bite us on the ass in the future.

As to your first:

Parse the reasoning for their move, vid; also, I am not aware they have given English any official standing, I think they are merely cognizant of the habit of the world marketplace, which follows the U.S.'s lead.

Not France's, not Germany's, not Japan's....ours.

Get over your guilt at being numero uno.



As to your last:

It would seem clear that the trend toward "official" culture-tweaking is currently biting us on the ass; never mind "someday".