Does Science Need a Global Language?
Scott L. Montgomery, CENTRAL, 501.4 M788d 2013
A fascinating book, about the spread of English around the world, and its dominance in science since WW2.
It isn't about the mechanics and structure of language, but about how Anglo-American English dominates global science (and business, and politics, and media, and ..), and how individuals in other cultures adapt in order to participate in an international process that has pretty much displaced all other languages.
The 115 year old scientific journal "Geologisches Rundschau", which became exclusively English ... then changed its name to International Journal of Earth Sciences in 1997
Multiple englishes emerging. Some journals are grammar Nazis, some tolerate small deviations from Anglo-American English.
China has many english-only journals.
- p90 Chart of language shares. German peaked at 42% in 1920, English overtook in 1930, 90% in 2000.
prior Lingua Francas ... Greek, Latin, Arabic, "Scholar Latin"
- p91 Chart, in 2005 English in 70% of elementary schools and 80% of secondary schools
p103 Author meets Australian Aboriginal man Roger in Timber Creek. Both have two sons. Abo sons speak school English, Kriol, Warumungu, and Warimajarri. Montgomery's sons speak only English, studying another in school. Roger gave me a humorous but pitying look. "Got to do better, mate! One never enough!"