Rebecca, a good thought-provoking article on this important subject. It's good to see someone in your age-bracket putting forward constructive views. Warren Reed.

I am all for learning another language - I dropped my french at school when I could and have regreted it on a number of occasions, particularly when travelling in Africa...as it is I have learnt an awful lot during travel and can now get by.

I also think it is short-sighted to concentrate on what is just useful - life is about so much more than what is useful - there needs to be 'colour and texture' - and for some people languages can provide this.

All languages, without exception contain and enforce certain presumptions about the nature of reality. What we are as human beings, our relationships to each other, and thus our relationship to the natural world. Which is to say that all languages subltely condition, pattern, and even brain-wash our brains and nervous systems to see the world in a particular way. And to systematically eliminate other possibilities or ways of seeing/perceiving the world.

There are for instance profound taboos against anything to with psychic or mystical phenomenon.

English, especially in its modern form, is an entirely secular language which subtlely conditions and patterns our brains and nervous to believe/perceive that reality is entirely objective to us or only "out there". That we are all separate from one another, from the World Process altogether, and of course from the Living Divine Reality.

To learn another language & especially if english is your mother tongue is vital for the west's survival. I rather like the idea of being able to understand when we get called names in another language with a smiling face. Being able to understand means it's harder for someone else to pull the wool over your eyes, something that's been happening here for far too long.

individual,

I think that's a sad attitude. Surely sharing and learning and trading has been a feature of human development throughout history. No culture is without the influence of other cultures.

absolutely! give all australian children - all students in australia - the opportunity of learning at least one language in addition to english. primary school is just the place to make it compulsory - not for 40% a'la the leader of the opposition, but for 100%. 60% of school students must not miss out on this important way of learning to communicate in english as well as another/other languages. probably the majority of people in the world are at least bi-lingual - apart from australians, people from north america, and those from the united kingdom. truly a tragedy for all those who speak one language only. english is not enough.

thank you for this article which i am immediately sharing to facebook!