THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 234, 4 October 1943, Page 4

THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE

W rrH the American and the British peoples already using it, English language has a long start toward becoming the international language. Prior to the present war French had a great, hold on the Continent, of Europe and particularly so in the Middle East, and German had a singularly strong hold upon Northern Europe. Tn South America the Spanish and Portuguese languages held sway. In recent years, however, the study of the English language has received a decided impetus and the number of students in foreign countries engaged in learning this language lias grown considerably. Tn the report of the British Council for last year, it is stated, for instance, that in Turkey the preference for English has grown to such an extent that the number of students learning the language far outnumbers those studying any other. A few years ago English was a bad third to French and German. Outside the special classes private tuition in English was given during the year to several Turkish Ministers, to other statesmen and generals, and to the children of the President of the Republic, who had continued to take an interest in the Council’s work. Tn the beginning of the academic year 70 students who had been brought specially to Turkey began or continued their studies in English.