The spread of English

The cross-cultural spread of English is unprecedented in other ways. It is used than any of the other colonial languages like French, Portuguese or Spanish. It even has a use than some of the languages associated with international non-Western religious traditions, like Arabic or Sanskrit. In countries like India and Nigeria, English is used in local English-language newspapers and broadcasting, in public administration, in university education, in major industries, the courts and the civil service. Indeed, with nearly 200 languages, India needs English to unify the country.

Professor Lal, a champion of Indian English, who runs a well-known writers’ workshop, claims that in simple numerical terms, in a country of 840 million, Indians need to speak English to communicate with each other....You know what Malcolm Muggeridge said: “The last Englishman left will be an Indian.”

The spread of English

The cross-cultural spread of English is unprecedented in other ways. It is used than any of the other colonial languages like French, Portuguese or Spanish. It even has a use than some of the languages associated with international non-Western religious traditions, like Arabic or Sanskrit. In countries like India and Nigeria, English is used in local English-language newspapers and broadcasting, in public administration, in university education, in major industries, the courts and the civil service. Indeed, with nearly 200 languages, India needs English to unify the country.

Professor Lal, a champion of Indian English, who runs a well-known writers’ workshop, claims that in simple numerical terms, in a country of 840 million, Indians need to speak English to communicate with each other....You know what Malcolm Muggeridge said: “The last Englishman left will be an Indian.”

Rebento

Gilberto Gil

Rebento, substantivo abstrato,

O ato, a criação, o seu momento,

Como uma estrela nova e seu barato

Que só Deus sabe lá no firmamento.

Rebento, tudo que nasce é rebento,

Tudo que brota, que vinga, que medra,

Rebento raro como flor na pedra,

Rebento farto como trigo ao vento.

Outras vezes rebento simplesmente

No presente do indicativo,

Como a corrente de um cão furioso,

Como as mãos de um lavrador ativo.

Às vezes, mesmo perigosamente,

Como acidente em forno radioativo,

Às vezes, só porque fico nervoso,

Rebento.

Às vezes somente porque estou vivo.

Rebento, a reação imediata

A cada sensação de abatimento.

Rebento, o coração dizendo “bata”,

A cada bofetão do sofrimento.

Rebento, esse trovão dentro da mata

E a imensidão do som desse momento.