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From: I.G.Batten@ftel.co.uk (Ian G Batten)
Subject: Re: Single European Language
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Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 08:42:21 GMT
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In article <DAAn2L.DCt@cwi.nl>, Dik T. Winter <dik@cwi.nl> wrote:
> Current policy in the Netherlands is that everybody learns at least
> one foreign language (and for those that speak Frisian, Dutch is not
> counted as a foreign language).  But this choice comes only in at
> later stages.  Three foreign languages are still tought at lower
> levels (French, German and English required, some other languages
> optional in addition to the standard curriculum).  When finally making
> a choice English is the language choosen most, with German coming as
> second and, alas, French as a small third.  (But you may chose more than
> one foreign language.)

This explains the conversation I took part in at a service station on
the motorway from Calais to Reims, just beyond Bethune.  A Dutchman in
his twenties wanted to know where the next service station with a
restaurant was.  He was unable to speak French, and usually the
assistant spoke little English.  I was left in the bizarre position of
translation his excellent English into my broken French, and the
assistant's French into English.

Clearly, for that Dutchman at least French wasn't as useful as English.

ian

