Globalization (5) – Multiculturalism in Europe

Source: EU

Multiculturalism in Europe

Integration should and can coexist with multiculturalism. In fact, “United in Diversity” is the motto of the EU. How does it mean in practice? Let’s have a look at the example below.

Example: EU language policy 

The EU has 28 member states speaking 24 different languages. It requires all official documents to be translated into these 24 languages. And if a EU citizen makes a written inquiry to the EU, the EU must reply in his/her national language.

Source: EU

Do you know which language is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the EU? (Answer at bottom) Source: EU

EU’s 24 official languages:

Bulgarian

保加利亞語

French

法語

Maltese

馬爾他語

Croatian

克羅地亞語

German

德語

Polish

波蘭語

Czech

捷克語

Greek

希臘語

Portuguese

葡萄牙語

Danish

丹麥語

Hungarian

匈牙利語

Romanian

羅馬尼亞語

Dutch

荷蘭語

Irish

愛爾蘭語

Slovak

斯洛伐克語

English

英語

Italian

意大利語

Slovene

斯洛文尼亞語

Estonian

愛沙尼亞語

Latvian

拉脫維亞語

Spanish

西班牙語

Finnish

芬蘭語

Lithuanian

立陶宛語

Swedish

瑞典語

 

Answer: German (16% of EU population speak German as their mother tongue)

Extra:

Have you ever heard of Esperanto? It was an artificial language invented by a Polish chemist named L.L. Zamenhof at the end of the 19th century. It contains elements of various European languages but with much more simplified grammar. The objective is to make it easy enough for different nationals to pick up the language as quickly as possible. That way, it is hoped that they can have better communication and less conflict with each other.