Applied sociolinguistics internet project
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2003 5:57 pm
Have you ever spent some time in a non-English speaking country? Was it difficult? Did you manage to get around with English there or did the local language was absolutely necessary? How to know what languages are more vital to learn than others? Well, my new internet project "Do they speak English there?" tries to answer these questions. 
Everybody knows that for example it is much easier to live in Sweden without the knowledge of Swedish than, say, in China without Chinese or in Russia without Russian. I have collected hundreds of opinions from various people who have in fact lived in those and many other countries worldwide. Here you will find whether or not it is absolutely necessary to learn a local language or do "most" people speak English there. Of course, some people's opinions and impressions may not accurately reflect the real situation, but I believe that many people's impressions of the same country cannot be all wrong and must provide a more accurate picture of reality.
I would also like to ask for your help: if you have been living in any non-English speaking country and want to share your impressions about the language situation there, please send them to me by all means! I will be happy to update this database with the information you sent me. After all, the more impressions from you I receive, the more accurate picture of the real situation will I be able to create.
Thank you very much for your time
The website address is http://whatlanguage.topcities.com
Everybody knows that for example it is much easier to live in Sweden without the knowledge of Swedish than, say, in China without Chinese or in Russia without Russian. I have collected hundreds of opinions from various people who have in fact lived in those and many other countries worldwide. Here you will find whether or not it is absolutely necessary to learn a local language or do "most" people speak English there. Of course, some people's opinions and impressions may not accurately reflect the real situation, but I believe that many people's impressions of the same country cannot be all wrong and must provide a more accurate picture of reality.
I would also like to ask for your help: if you have been living in any non-English speaking country and want to share your impressions about the language situation there, please send them to me by all means! I will be happy to update this database with the information you sent me. After all, the more impressions from you I receive, the more accurate picture of the real situation will I be able to create.
Thank you very much for your time
The website address is http://whatlanguage.topcities.com
And I couldn't answer because I've never done that (but your website was fun to look at).
!