Germany to promote 'language of ideas'

VERENA SCHMITT-ROSCHMANN, Associated Press Writer Verena Schmitt-roschmann, Associated Press Writer – Thu Feb 25, 11:20 am ET

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100225/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_language_campaign


Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister is embarking on a campaign to promote the German language. Four months ago he drew attention for insisting on speaking German when speaking to a British reporter. He now has a global campaign to promote what he calls the "language of ideas" and "the language at the heart of Europe." In this campaign, Westerwelle stresses the beauty of the language and opposes the spread of "anglicisms," or words borrowed from English. Says Westerwelle, "It is the key to more than 350 German universities and colleges, to Europe's largest economy. It grants access to German literature, music, philosophy, and science, to the wealth of great European cultural traditions and, not least, it is the key to realizing one's own goals and ideas." The number of German speakers has decreased in recent years, and the German government seeks to promote their language in response to this decline and the rise of other languages becoming increasing important in Germany, including English, Spanish, and Chinese.

I found this article interesting in relation to the constructivist theories and transnational interactions we have been studying lately. It seems that constructivists would believe that "knowledge is power." Language is one way we construct or frame the world, and most modern languages are deeply attached to certain cultures. As Westerwelle indicates, some of the world's great literature, music, philosophy, and science are rooted in the German language. While this knowledge is available to people all over the world through translations, I think just about everyone acknowledges that a translation is just not the same as the original. Some things are always lost in translation; even when the difference is subtle, it can sometimes have a large effect overall. The spread of languages across borders illustrates one aspect of transnational interactions. What does it mean that Germany is trying to assert the importance of its native language? What does the increased use of other languages (especially English) mean? Do you think that the spread of languages across borders is perhaps the result of transnational advocacy networks, as discussed in the Keck and Sikkink chapters? What implications does this have for the state? How would realist or liberal theories explain this language issue?