www.talkcyprus.org

[Bullika]

I m curious what does everybody think of the growing use or dominance of English in Cyprus? In Northern Cyprus there are maybe some 6/7 universities where the language of instruction is English. When I last walked into a grovery store in Magusa run by a Bangladeshi, he could not speak a word of Turkish, he asked me in his unmistakable accent "Can I help you sir?"

On a separate occasion I went to Dudleys pub in Bogaz where I was greeted at the door in English. And lastly at a fish restaurant in Girne, a Turkish Cypriot from the dispora working as a waiter couñd not communicate in Turkish. His Turkish was worser than mine.

Is the growth of English language universities a positive development? Or shall we endeavour to retain use of our own languages at every level?

[Crash Test Dummy]

English is the most spoken language in the world so i suppose its a good thing, Help Turkish Cypriot leave the island to get educated

[Bullika]

you mean it helps them to remain on the island to get educated or helps them to imigrate? I dont understand, surely the latter is not positive.

[Crash Test Dummy]

MEHMET_OSMAN_KKTC wrote: you mean it helps them to remain on the island to get educated or helps them to imigrate? I dont understand, surely the latter is not positive.

I know of many Greek Cypriot's that came to the UK to get trained in a proffession and returned to Cyprus. Lets be honest here a Turkish Cypriot certificate of further education in not really worth much.

[city]

Its always good to know foreign languages. The more the better.
However, each country/people should definitely keep their own language, culture and tradition. Its their history and their roots.

[Crash Test Dummy]

city wrote: Its always good to know foreign languages. The more the better.
However, each country/people should definitely keep their own language, culture and tradition. Its their history and their roots.


So you suggest that people should learn a language that only 10,00 people know. Or learn a language that is pretty similar and that millions know

[city]

Crash Test Dummy wrote:
So you suggest that people should learn a language that only 10,00 people know. Or learn a language that is pretty similar and that millions know

erm, CTD I did not suggest anything. I put it in easy words again (or maybe my English wasn't good enough):

Its no harm when Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots (or anyone else for that matter) know English, BUT they should also know their mother tongue.

[Bullika]

No I suugest that 10 people know their own language and learn the language of the million too. Foreigners dont need to learn Gibrizlija in the same way that I do not need to learn Luxembourgeois if I go to Luxembourg or Maltese if I go to Malta.

[Crash Test Dummy]

Memo your right, they should learn their own language plus more.

[Dhavlos]

I think it is good that the degree courses are taught in english...it helps the people improve english, and thus open up a window of opportunities in international business etc..

but the people who you talk about are not natives,soithink that fact that the people speak english is not such a big problem, if actual Cypriots born and bred in cyprus began speking english, thenthat would be a problem.