No English

Warm Up

1. What's your native language?

2. How many languages can you understand, speak, or write?

3. Have you ever conversed with someone who speaks a different language?

   
   

Reading

The European Parliament's Secretary General, Klaus Welle, recently urged Euro politicians to adopt a slower pace in their speeches and to communicate solely in their native language rather than English. Welle's plea aims to alleviate the challenges faced by the institution's numerous interpreters. He stressed the importance of avoiding rapid speech, citing difficulties encountered by many interpreters in carrying out their duties effectively.

With 24 official languages spoken at the European Parliament, including recent additions like Croatian, Irish, Bulgarian, and Romanian, communication can be complex. To ensure mutual understanding among participants, the institution employs a sizable team of 330 interpreters, supplemented by 1,800 freelancers. Additionally, there are approximately 700 translators tasked with translating a vast amount of material each month, totaling over 100,000 pages.

Welle's call for politicians to speak in their native language aims to uphold interpretation quality, as using a foreign language can compromise accuracy. However, this request would restrict English usage to UK politicians, despite the widespread multilingualism among members. Many politicians opt for English to streamline communication and circumvent the challenges posed by multiple interpreters working simultaneously.

The European Parliament allocates a substantial annual budget of $50 million to support interpretation services, underlining the significance of effective communication within the institution. By encouraging politicians to speak more deliberately and in their native tongues, the European Parliament seeks to enhance communication clarity and facilitate smoother interactions among its diverse members.

Reading Comprehension

1. How many official languages are spoken at the European Parliament?

2. What are some of the recent additions to the official languages?

3. How does the European Parliament support interpretation services financially?

Discussion Questions

1. What challenges might interpreters face when politicians speak too quickly?

2. Why is it important for politicians to communicate effectively at the European Parliament?

3. How do you think the addition of new languages affects communication at the European Parliament?

4. Do you believe politicians must speak in their native language? Why or why not?

5. Is it fair for English to be used predominantly in the European Parliament?

6. How might language barriers affect decision-making processes within the European Parliament?

7. What measures could be taken to improve communication among Euro politicians and interpreters?

8. Do you think politicians should receive language training to improve their communication skills?

9. What strategies could politicians use to ensure they are understood by interpreters and other members?

10. Should there be limits on the number of languages used in parliamentary discussions? Why or why not?