12/20/2006 - 12/21/2006

U.N. Treaty on Cultural Diversity

A United Nations-backed international treaty to preserve the rich diversity of the world’s means of cultural expression from the dangers of globalization, including its many languages, will enter into force on 18 March after it topped the needed total of 30 ratifications yesterday.

“The rapidity of the ratification process is unprecedented,� UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General. Koïchiro Matsuura said today of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference in October 2005.

Report: Muslims face discrimination in Europe

Muslims in Europe face discrimination in education, employment and housing and are often victims of verbal abuse and physical attacks, a monitoring group has reported.

The report makes it clear that Muslims ... frequently suffer different forms of discrimination which reduce their employment opportunities, and affect their educational achievement," Beate Winkler, the director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), said in a statement.

2007: Learn a New Language

· 66% of people would like to learn a new language in 2007
· French, Spanish and Chinese (Mandarin) top the list
· Travel and improved career prospects biggest motivating factors

Giving up smoking, starting a new diet, or going to the gym have always been popular resolutions to make on New Year’s Eve. This year, however, according to a survey of over 300 people commissioned by language software provider Rosetta Stone, learning a new language is a top priority, with 66% listing it as a resolution they plan to make.

French topped the list - with 23% claiming it is the language they would most like to learn, followed by Spanish at 20%. Chinese (Mandarin) came in third at 15%. This is no surprise, with trade between the UK and China on the rise, and the Beijing Olympics on the horizon for 2008.

U.S. Needs to Increase Foreign Language Training

The United States must increase language training, especially in key languages like Chinese, Arabic and Russian, national education officials said at a conference here Tuesday.

Catherine Ingold, director of the National Foreign Language Center, a research institute of the University of Maryland, said the U.S. school system requires less language study than all developed nations and most undeveloped countries. "We are just very far behind the curve," she said.

EU Prepares for Three More Languages

To prepare for this new challenge, the European Commission has today adopted a strategy to guide its translation of written texts for 2007 and beyond. This strategy aims to better identify translation needs and providers, and enshrines multilingualism as a core element in the Commission’s policy-making and forward planning. Preparations in Bulgaria and Romania for providing translators and interpreters for the EU institutions are well-advanced.

To get ready for enlargement, the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT), which is the provider of written translations, and the Directorate-General for Interpretation (SCIC), which provides interpretation for meetings and organises conferences, have taken various preparatory measures.

Word of the Day: derogate

derogate \DER-uh-gayt\, intransitive verb:
1. To deviate from what is expected.
2. To take away; to detract; -- usually with 'from'.
transitive verb:
1. To disparage or belittle; to denigrate.

If someone wants to derogate from that and make a choice, then they are free to do it. -- Ciaran Fitzgerald, "Food champion'srecipe for success", Irish Times, November 13, 1998

Evidently, in Robbins's moral calculus, prostituting one's art in the name of the foremost mass murderer of modern times does not in the least derogate from one's idealism and courage. -- Terry Teachout, "Cradle of Lies", Commentary Magazine, February 2000