The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 7 / 7

[IKNFLY666]

proud to be a human race

[Aleeacerix]

From a Germanic tribe to the edge of the Universe!

[robertslistening]

I can see why it became the primary second language. I am Canadian. It's necessary to communicate for business,science, even for sorting out diplomatic problems. It's not really about English as in Britain, or Engish as in American. It's a necessary tool, because this is the age of technology and world trade. I'm sure there are certain terminologies that are common in science, math, etc. all over the world.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if language alone could solve world problems. Not likely.

[Chumandoo3]

Well-done program. But they seem to almost ignore the origin of English itself, which comes from India. Just like many fundamental technologies and advancements from the "western" european civilization advanced to where it did by 2000 and beyond from absorbing ideas and practices from all over the world, from India, language and numbers, from China, the printing press, compass, and gunpowder, from Egypt the basic calendar system, seven day weeks, etc., etc.

[jposh707]

Why did they get an ex-Nazi -- Waldheim -- to send greetings of "peace and friendship?" That was pretty stupid. Also, why does that old dude seem to relish the possibility of all Americans being turned into "blocks of cindered ice?" NOT FUNNY!!

[kitiowa]

I watched this when it was first broadcast and forgot how tedious this episode was. It is a pro-English propaganda bit.

[blueguitarblue]

Embarrassed that Californian speech was taken seriously and looked to by many linguists and speech specialists as serious. For an educated woman, who's studied some linguistics and majored in British/English literature, the discovery that the powers take English seriously credited California for anything. I'm from Seattle and we HATE Californians for many reasons, including lingo & arrogantly ruining a homey city with Indians and lumberjacks, into a sophisicated farce-killing our Seattle.

[13Voorheespt2]

@blueguitarblue That's nice.Cute attempt at portraying yourself as an educated person.If you were truly educated you would understand how stupid it is saying you "HATE" Californians. It's okay though, I'd probably "HATE" you too.

[blueguitarblue]

@13Voorheespt2 You're not a perceptive person and obviously don't know the culture of the Northwest. Oregon and Washington are buds, but we draw the line in Northern California. It's the same between native folks from Wisconsin who's culture and house pricing sky-rockets by people from Chicago with money. My German professor noted how Americans use "hate" and "love" not literally; whereas German's do not use it unless they truly do hate or love. It's an idiom. You have no insight or humour.

[ratarob]

good show  thanks DespairlsAsin

[MukudaiYoshiyuki]

Is this Die Wiener Philharmoniker that plays Waltz at the end of this episode?

[seroyer2]

The internet will only cause English to become more and more Globe.

[brentwoodbay]

I have looked for this DVD for years. I really appreciate this. BTW, I am wondering if the extreme RP that we hear at the very beginning of this segment still exists in 2010. If so, I am guessing that it is rare?

[optifog]

@brentwoodbay It does still exist. I work in a call centre so I hear a lot of voices from around England and occasionally an elderly person from a highly affluent area will sound like this (with the closed 'a' in hand). Only 1 in 50 English people (or Brits, I can't remember which) use RP and this Traditional RP is dying out in favour of Mainstream and Advanced RP, as the younger members of the upper class incorporate more Estuary features into their speech.

[Autodidact40324]

Many thanks to the uploader!