Several countries worldwide are implementing stricter regulations to safeguard their national languages and reduce the dominance of English words. English, with approximately 1.4 billion speakers, is currently the most widely spoken language globally. However, some countries are considering drastic measures to prevent it from becoming the default language.
The Netherlands recently passed a bill to limit the use of English in university courses, proposing that two-thirds of the content in a standard bachelor’s degree should be in Dutch. Furthermore, international students may be required to learn basic Dutch as part of these proposed changes.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is endorsing a new bill that could result in fines of up to €100,000 for Italians who use English in official communications and rely on other foreign words. However, the bill still needs to undergo parliamentary debate before it can be enforced.
In India, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has been making efforts to promote the use of Hindi instead of English.
The prominent French language institution, Academie Francaise, has issued a strong warning regarding the rise of bilingual wordplay, where English words are increasingly integrated into everyday language. The organisation is concerned that this trend could lead to the gradual disappearance of equivalent French words, particularly in areas such as fashion, sport, and the internet, as previously occurred in Malta.
In China, President Xi Jinping aims to foster greater “cultural confidence” by reducing reliance on English. Measures have been taken in Beijing to remove English words from metro stations and maps, while in Shanghai, elementary schools have prohibited English exams.
According to a recent survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), English has surpassed Maltese as the most widely spoken language among the local population in Malta. Surprisingly, an astonishing 96% of people in Malta feel comfortable speaking English, slightly higher than the 90% who are proficient in Maltese. Additionally, Italian has a stronger presence than anticipated, with a significant 62% of respondents reporting an understanding of the language. The survey, which interviewed 130,000 individuals between the ages of 15 and 64, not only shed light on language preferences but also revealed a diverse range of skills prevalent within the community. Interestingly, language preferences appear to be influenced by age, with older individuals gravitating towards Italian and Arabic, while younger generations lean towards French and German. The survey also explored various skill categories, highlighting impressive technological prowess within Malta.
Should Malta adopt similar measures to limit the use of the English language in order to protect the Maltese language?
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