Linguistic diversification in Council of Europe member states
Doc. 7554
9 May 1996
MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION
presented by Mr LEGENDRE and others
This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it
The teaching of modern languages in the education systems of Council of Europe member states must become more diversified and result in the acquisition, in addition to English, of other European languages.
Furthermore, language teaching, in its present form, tends to neglect the learning of languages wrongly regarded as rare.
Other major non-European languages, though spoken by substantial populations elsewhere in the world, are virtually ignored by the education systems of European states, although changing trade-flows and notably the emerging economies of South-East Asia and the Pacific are tending to modify the shape of the world economy.
An adequate command of these languages appears indispensable for European exports to develop and young people to work or live abroad.
Knowledge of only English, seen as an international vehicle of communication, does not seem sufficient, therefore, if Europe is to maintain its presence in the international economic arena and safeguard its cultural diversity.
Knowledge by Council of Europe member state nationals of several major European languages is a means of preserving what gives European culture its special characteristics.
National education systems do not take sufficient account of national linguistic potential, notably in border regions and natural pools of foreign native speakers resulting from the settlement in different countries of large foreign communities, installed a long time ago or more recently integrated.
It appears vital, therefore, to reactivate linguistic diversification.
For its part, France has sought to foster multilingualism within the European Union by proposing inter alia that two modern languages be compulsory school subjects in all member states. In a recent report, the French Senate advocated linguistic diversification measures.
Knowledge of foreign languages, besides its cultural and utilitarian aspects, seems to be a decisive factor in comprehension between peoples, tolerance between diverse communities whether national or foreign, and peace between nations, and provides an excellent means of preventing a return of barbarism in its various forms.
In the light of these comments, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers take the necessary steps to:
- continue to strengthen its activities in the field of modern language learning and to foster linguistic diversification, the guarantor of the special characteristics of European culture;
- ensure that at least two modern languages, in addition to the mother tongue or the language of the country of residence, are taught on a compulsory basis from the beginning of secondary schooling in all Council of Europe member states, and to encourage the teaching of a third modern language at upper secondary level;
- foster the use of new technologies in language teaching;
- take account of the specific linguistic features of the regions of each state, notably by reactivating twinning arrangements between local authorities and developing linguistic co-operation agreements between border regions.
Signed[1]:
Legendre, France, EDG
Aguiar, Portugal, LDR
Alloncle, France, EDG
Antretter, Germany, SOC
Beaufays, France, EPP
Belohorsk�, Slovakia, LDR
Berg, Norway, EDG
Bielikov�, Slovakia, LDR
Birraux, France, EPP
Bolinaga, Spain, EPP
Brennan, Ireland, LDR
Briane, France, EPP
Christodoulides, Cyprus, UEL
Colombier, France, LDR
Couveinhes, France, EDG
Daniel, France, EDG
de Puig, Spain, SOC
Dromberg, Finland, EDG
Ehrmann, France, LDR
Elo, Finland, SOC
Fleetwood, United Kingdom, EDG
Garajov�, Slovakia, LDR
Geoffroy, France, LDR
Golu, Romania, SOC
Gotzev, Bulgaria, EPP
Guirado, Spain, SOC
Jansson, Finland, LDR
Johnston, United Kingdom, LDR
Kaspereit, France, EDG
Kollwelter, Luxembourg, SOC
Landsbergis, Lithuania, EDG
Le Jeune, France, EPP
Le Grand, France, EDG
Lentz-Cornette, Luxembourg, EPP
Lopez Henares, Spain, EPP
Luis, Portugal, SOC
Malachowski, Poland, SOC
Masson, France, EDG
Mignon, France, EDG
Molloy, Ireland, LDR
Motiu, Romania, EDG
Niza, Portugal, SOC
Pavlidis, Greece, EPP
Probst, Germany, EPP
Prokes, Slovakia, EPP
Roseta, Portugal, LDR
Schreiner, France, EDG
Seitlinger, France, EPP
Serra, Italy, LDR
Theis, Luxembourg, EPP
Tiuri, Finland, EDG
Valleix, France, EDG
Walsh, Ireland, SOC
Zingeris, Lithuania, EDG
[1] SOC : Socialist Group
EPP : Group of the European People's Party
EDG : European Democratic Group
LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group
UEL : Group of the Unified European Left