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