Never let the truth get in the way of a good story

by John Silk

So teachers in Reading "are stuggling to understand their pupils – because they speak 127 different languages", according to The Sun.

Moreover, Philip Davies (sic), Tory MP for Shipley, West Yorkshire, told the publication: "It's very worrying. We haven't really made people integrate properly into British society and we haven't made them learn English."

However, the piece merely mentions that numerous languages are spoken by the children, NOT that they are incapable of speaking English, while the relevance of an MP who represents a town more than 200 miles away is anyone’s guess.

The irony of the mis-spelling of the MP’s surname in an article relating to the English language is difficult to ignore (it was spelt Davis), but I digress.

Complaint

The subject of foreign people not learning English is a frequently-heard complaint.

They say that whilst they’re over ‘ere they should learn our (proud) language.

And to a large extent, they are right.

Yet, as most linguists would concur, the best time for anyone to do just that (learn a language) is when they are young.

Many children are brought up on the staple diet of two languages from the minute they are born and, as a result, can use both to an inordinate level.

Just because they choose to use a tongue that we do not understand, it does not necessarily mean they cannot speak the Queen’s English as well.

If only people would read the actual words contained within the piece, and not the hyperbole attached to it, it might help alleviate the xenophoebic attitude of many.

But then to do that, you would need to have a good command of English.