Comments on: British Council Language Cuts U-Turn

By: Rom Dormer

Rom Dormer — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:15:17 +0000

?????? I beg to differ … learning a foreign language makes you appreciate the structure and origins of your native tongue – and also many nuances of meaning.

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:42:20 +0000

This “U-turn” has to be a welcome move. Encouraging the British to gain proficiency in other languages – for both linguistic and social reasons – is a difficult task at the best of times.

It is also the case that people who are gifted in foreign languages don’t fully appreciate the complexities of their own language.

By: Daniel Oxley

Daniel Oxley — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:52:05 +0000

It is very easy for Labour Party supporters to present themselves as ‘caring’ by demanding that this or that be spared from the cuts. All it requires is a bit of amnesia.
They have to forget that they got us into this mess. Even the last Labour Secretary to the Treasury admitted it when he informed his successor, ‘I’m afraid to tell you there’s no money left’.
In any case, I have already explained on a previous comment how the shortfall required; some £750,000 for the programme could easily be saved from public funds.
All that is required is for Newham Council to stop wasting this same amount of money each year publishing their year round election leaflet which is known as the Newham Mag.
The magazine can be seen online at http://www.newham.gov.uk/AboutNewham/Newhammag.htm but those who can’t be bothered to look at it; (and who could blame them), can get a flavour of it if I point out that since September 2008 this fortnightly outrage against objective journalism has included 295 photographs of Newham’s Mayor.