ENGLISH AS AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

  • 2007-12-05
  • Charles E. Hirsch, Tallinn
[Refers to "Visions of Tallinn's future 's English language included," TBT #583, Nov. 22]

It seems that I have been inadvertently supporting Toomas Vitsut, deputy chairman of the [Tallinn] City Council. I teach upper levels of English at a known private school here. On several occasions I have given my classes the writing assignment for an essay entitled, "Estonia should follow the lead of India and make English its second official language,"

This has been surprisingly well received by these young, bright, potential future leaders of our country and the motion always carried around 60 - 65 percent whenever it was run.
In all but name it already seems to be an English-speaking beehive and perhaps the simple act of declaring itself as such formally would already be all that would be needed to get the ball rolling.
 

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