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The promulgation of English as the world's “lingua franca” is both impractical and linguistically undemocratic. I say this as a native English speaker!

Impractical because communication should be for all and not only for an educational or political elite. That is how English is used internationally at the moment.

Undemocratic because minority languages are under attack worldwide due to the encroachment of majority ethnic languages. Even Mandarin Chinese is attempting to dominate as well. The long-term solution must be found and a non-national language, which places all ethnic languages on an equal footing is essential.

An interesting video can be seen at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU Professor Piron was a former translator with the United Nations

A glimpse of Esperanto can be seen at http://www.lernu.net

The promulgation of English as the world's “lingua franca” is both impractical and linguistically undemocratic. I say this as a native English speaker!

Impractical because communication should be for all and not only for an educational or political elite. That is how English is used internationally at the moment.

Undemocratic because minority languages are under attack worldwide due to the encroachment of majority ethnic languages. Even Mandarin Chinese is attempting to dominate as well. The long-term solution must be found and a non-national language, which places all ethnic languages on an equal footing is essential.

An interesting video can be seen at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU Professor Piron was a former translator with the United Nations

A glimpse of Esperanto can be seen at http://www.lernu.net

I certainly agree that learning a language often opens a window into the culture, and traditions of a people. I also agree that it is no bad thing to learn another language.

I only reiterate that it is a serious disadvantage- in these times- to lack a fluency in English (the global language of business). I'm heartened to hear of an alumnus of yours who has gone on to do a Masters at Leeds and I hope more students emerge from your academy bi- (or multi-) lingual.

Wishing you all the best in your endeavors

Then, when th elinguistic states were made in India, the speakers of Adivasi languages were denied any statehood, and their languages were denied the status of 'school languages'. This made learning their own mother tongues in a systematic way impossible.

Since, there is very little chance of them speaking their own language and getting into any meaningful occupation, they are under pressure to give up the language(s).

This cannot be called 'natural evolution' of a language. Since there is an external interference causing the decline of the languages, external support too will be required to save the fast disappearing stock of traditional wisdom in those languages.

Of course, at the Adivasi Academy, I have never prevented my collagues and students form learning English or French. One of them recently returned from the University of leeds after completing a Masters. But, I encourge them to use their own languages as well.

I hope you will appreciate my point of view.

Ganesh Devy

While I'm happy Mr. Devy does want to protect those traditions and that the Ford Foundation is funding him (to each his/her own), Isn't he just preventing the natural evolution (and sometimes extinction) of a community? In the competition for hearts and minds, some ideas (and memes) do better, nein? By ensuring they “remain steeped” in their tradition, isn't there a possibility he's denying them a better life?