Proud to be among the English-speaking peoples (crappy title - good read)

Ottawa Citizen - Canada ^ | Wednesday, March 07, 2007 | David Warren

[GMMAC]

Proud to be among the English-speaking peoples

David Warren, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007

By the word "Anglosphere" we mean the countries whose primary language is English, and whose legal, political, cultural and religious traditions are directly descended from Britain and Magna Carta. Specifically: Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand -- and there was a time when we might have mentioned South Africa, and the English-speaking elites of India and other parts of the former Empire. United by a language, to begin, but through that language with a common-sense view of the world that is distinguishable from continental Europe's; the "west of the West," as it were. Andrew Roberts is a British historian in his mid-40s who writes consciously in the Churchill Tory tradition. His new book, A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900, is aimed at the sort of audience that used to read history, fine biographies and good novels in the same spirit: that "elevated general reader." Roberts has some mischief in him, of the kind I approve, and a mind always turning to the "What if?" questions. Indeed, of his previous books, several were devoted to such hypotheticals as: What would have happened had Hitler invaded England in May 1940?

The new book also consciously plays off Churchill's own History of the English-Speaking Peoples, daringly extending its horizons. It is making a splash. Even George W. Bush has been reading it. He invited Roberts to lunch at the White House last week; Cheney, I'm told, had the book by his bedside in hospital.

Remember, I don't review books in these short column spaces, I only glance at them as political phenomena. And this is a good one. English-speaking intellectuals should devote a lot more thought to the Anglosphere, to what it has been and could be.

Canadians -- and I include those who think in French but have been affiliated with this Anglosphere for several centuries now, and could be an important bridge across the "English Channel of the mind" -- have our own peculiar historical take. The movement of "Empire federationism" was a very lively force in our literature and politics a century ago, when that British Empire was very much alive. It was not a sell-out to England. Such men as Stephen Leacock played with sophisticated ideas for rebalancing the American fact against qualities they thought the American Revolutionary tradition had risked discarding. Our own "late Loyalists" wanted to replenish the hierarchical and cosmopolitan side of the balance against the homogenizing and provincializing forces of republicanism. Roberts touches on this only incidentally.

His main point is that the Anglosphere determined the course of history through the 20th century by standing united against Prussian militarism in the First World War, Fascism in the Second, and Communism in the Cold War. In each case, the Anglosphere stood nearly alone, with no reliable allies elsewhere in the world, only clients and dependents. As we pass into the 21st century, we face a fourth great test, against what has been called "Islamofascism." Will the Anglosphere again stand united, in defence of the West?

Roberts takes this as an open question. He is distressed by demographics and by "multiculturalism." Massive immigration from dysfunctional Third World states is transforming our societies, especially in leading urban centres, and our educational systems have "progressed" to reflect a demented cultural relativism, in which our own English-speaking heritage is disowned, barbarous ideas are substituted piecemeal, and a void is created into which all kinds of horrors may be sucked.

We are no longer assimilating immigrants and winning them over to our language and outlook; we are instead surrendering everything we stand for.

Yet the Anglosphere is still there, as evidence the British and Australian allies the Americans found when something had to be done about Iraq. Canadian troops in Afghanistan represent at least a tip of the hat to our own best national traditions, in which we were always rather proudly first in the trenches, and first up the hill.

Nor, of course, is systematic unhelpfulness from our nominal allies in Continental Europe something new. We have a history of having to protect them from each other, or liberate them, again and again, while they mutter about the distastefulness of "Anglo-Americanism." But someone has to play adult in the planetary kindergarten.

You must know history to see a way forward. Without a strong, essentially united Anglosphere, the world would be a much nastier place, even than it is today. It is time we English speakers got our act together. Again. And time we invited India to the show, for it is emerging as another English-speaking centre on the scale of a new America.

David Warren's column appears Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

[GMMAC]

For more David Warren, and to avoid the Ottawa Citizen's sometimes in place pay-to-view barrier, check out DavidWarrenOnline.com.

Note, Warren's initial paragraph below was ruined by a CanWest editor yet again 'knowing better' & arbitrarily changing a columnist's working title which, in this case, was appropriately enough "The Anglosphere".
Where do the Aspers - owners of the CanWest chain - find these brain dead, semi-literate morons - sheesh !?!?

[GMMAC]

PING!

[Actually_in_Tokyo]

Is this the gentleman interviewed on the Hugh Hewitt show? If so, it was very interesting.

[ZULU]

"Without a strong, essentially united Anglosphere, the world would be a much nastier place, even than it is today. It is time we English speakers got our act together. "

Makes sense to me.

What defines a people is not race or ethnicity as much as culture. And a very important part of that culture is their language. You can tell a lot about a culture by its language (Latin had over two score verbs to describe different refinements of the verb to kill. Eskimos have a slew of different words to define different qualities of snow.)

Of all the languages on earth, English is the most versatile, the one in which more nuances of meaning can be expressed and one which is most adept at incorporating words of other languages. Compare the use of Greek and Latin words in an anglicized version to describe terms that
in German require jaw-breaking multisyllabic terms of common German words all strung together.

And of course, modern concepts of Democracy, the dignity of the individual, and basic human rights were all first expressed in English - staring with Anglo-Saxon Common Law even before Magna Charta.

Quite a language we are fortunate enough to have inherited.
We should make every effort to MAINTAIN IT!!!

[Basheva]

The Anglosphere is disappearing. In the USA it is disappearing as we allow ourselves to be deluged by millions coming through our borders with no intention to assimulate either culturally or linguistically. Hence, public notices, ballots, classrooms, etc., in multiple languages.

The England we knew is gone. Its vaunted Navy down to under 100 ships, its cities sprouting mosques, its churches empty.

Canada has been rent assunder by splitting the country into two languages each given equal import plus unmitigated immigration from abroad and almost complete socialism. This is not the Canada who fought with us in the Second World War.

Australia, New Zealand - are small demographically. Who else? India speaks English as a national language, but it is consumed by its own problems - is not a military ally.

Nope - we stand alone. More and more alone - and soon alone not only externally, but alone within our own country. Much like the remnants of what's left of the Brits.

I can't think of another culture which has literally cut its own throat and given away the store.

Thank you to the left/democrat/progressive/socialist/liberal conquest of the educational institutions, the media, and half the electorate.

[Gay State Conservative]

Quite a language we are fortunate enough to have inherited.We should make every effort to MAINTAIN IT!!!

More and more English speaking people in Boston,New York,Washington,London and Toronto...as well as many millions of non-English speaking people (particularly in Europe) would refer to yours as a call to "linguistic imperialism".

[FixitGuy]

"We have a history of having to protect them from each other, or liberate them, again and again, while they mutter about the distastefulness of "Anglo-Americanism." But someone has to play adult in the planetary kindergarten."

Amen!

[Former Proud Canadian]

Mark

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

ping

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

The language and culture are enduring. Don't put us in the grave yet. We still have a lot of spunk despite the leftists that want to changes us into a European Socialist country and the multiculturalists that deny the power of the Anglo version of Western Civilization.
Much of it was built on sturdy individualism (it helped that the British Isles were detached from Europe) and its strong legal system with the rule of law and protecting private property rights.
The power of our culture is strong. Our weakness is if we allow our culture to be destroyed.

[Gay State Conservative]

Well put.But I ask you to name me a single RAT member of the House or Senate,a single RAT governor or a single flunkie working at DNC Headquarters that would agree with a single word you said.

[mjp]

By the word "Anglosphere" we mean the countries whose primary language is English, and whose legal, political, cultural and religious traditions are directly descended from Britain and Magna Carta. Specifically: Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand

The hellholes of the world need to become more like the Anglosphere and not try to make us more like them.

[GMMAC]

"Canada has been rent assunder by splitting the country into two languages each given equal import plus unmitigated immigration from abroad and almost complete socialism. This is not the Canada who fought with us in the Second World War."

I could make a similar statement with respect to America but won't because, like yours above, it would be both unduly harsh & a sweeping generalization / over simplification.
BTW, if you compare our FR homepages, you'll find our interests & points-of-view aren't all that different - I even know a bit more about ballet than the average guy thanks to a long ago girlfriend in your field.

I believe a lot of American FRiends - who otherwise rightly distrust most all else from the msm - get a quite distorted view of Canada from that same source.
Besides agenda-driven spin, media coverage fails to take into account numerous significant differing, especially governmental structure, socio-political factors between our countries.
As example, with roughly 1/10 of your population (a couple of million less in total than within your home State of CA alone!) spread over a larger land mass, our 'local' stories tend to become 'national' ones much more readily.
Based merely upon respective available 'news' volumes, not infrequently leftist outrages which barely receive statewide coverage down your way are far more widely reported when they occur up here.

When you refer to America alone, bear in mind a Canadian, Mark Steyn, wrote the book with that title and he doubtless speaks for millions of America's true friends & allies.

[lesser_satan]

bump 4 l8er

[ZULU]

I'm PROUD to be a Linguistic Imperialist.

Besides, having a common language most people understand fosters communication of ideas and technological progress.

More journals, books, and technological works have been written and continue to be written in English than in any other language.

There may be more Chinese speakers thatn English speakers, or more Spanish speakers than English speakers, but who wants to learn Chinese? Its VERY difficult with many dialects. The number of scientific and technological papers written in Spanish, while growing, is far below those written in English and Spanish like many other languages, is relatively impoverished with respect to vocabulary, when compared to English. Russian has lost its influence with the collapse of the Evil Empire and never was as commonly spoken as English anyway.

I don't oppose learning and speaking OTHER languages - I LIKE languages. Each one is, in effect, a work of cognitive art and they should all be preserved and continued to be spoken.

But you need ONE language that most people can communicate in or the world becomes a Bable.

[Basheva]

*****I could make a similar statement with respect to America but won't because, like yours above, it would be both unduly harsh & a sweeping generalization / over simplification.***

You could and should make that statement with respect to the USA - I made that point in my post with regard to the multiculturalism and multilingualism infecting America.

Speaking the truth is not harsh - it's the truth. Canada is not the country that fought side by side in the 2nd World War - but neither are we. And for the most part that difference is not positive. Socialism warps wherever it is in place.

Canada was almost rent asunder by the language war - that is not a good thing and its not good for the USA either than Spanish threatens us not only here in the Southern part of Calif. but all across our land.

When I receive gov't bulletins they come in five languages.

Sorry, I don't like that.

And about ballet - it's not unusual for a guy to know about ballet. When you get to the professional level of ballet the classes and stages are filled with wonderful male athletes also known as danseurs.

[happygrl]

By the word "Anglosphere" we mean the countries whose primary language is English, and whose legal, political, cultural and religious traditions are directly descended from Britain and Magna Carta. Specifically: Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand --

Roberts includes the Carribean English speaking countries as well.

[happygrl]

Is this the gentleman interviewed on the Hugh Hewitt show?

Yes. He has been on several of the Salem Radio Network's Talk show, including Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager.

You can listen to these programs on Townhall.com, click "radio columnists", then click "listen to recent shows".

[GMMAC]

We shouldn't forget Canada's language war between French & English speakers, who had certainly peacefully coexisted & largely gotten along pretty well together for a long time, can be primarily laid at the doorstep of the Liberal Party as well as its leftist fellow travelers who initially provoked it via misguided policies & subsequently fanned its flames with their typical & habitual 'divide & conquer' and/or 'play both ends off against the middle' opportunistic approach to most issues.

That said, a lot of what's gone on up here over the past 3 or 4 decades should stand as a cautionary example to America with respect to especially Spanish. Particularly as its speakers plainly don't have the same legitimate claim to being a 'founding people' of the U.S. which French Canadians enjoy up here.

However, as eventually occurs with all the leftists' special interest pandering, now the French - like we English speakers - are finding their culture & language being encroached upon by 3rd world immigrants whom the Liberals encouraged to migrate here. (snicker!)
All political correctness (or, more accurately, Marxism) is doomed to collapse under the weight of its own inherent contradictions and we're increasingly seeing the left's one-time political & ethnic constituencies at loggerheads with each other.
Many immigrants with strong religious and/or moral convictions are becoming more & more appalled with the left's pandering to feminists & homosexuals as well as its overall moral bankruptcy along with its bleeding-hearted approaches to crime & public safety & security.
Accordingly, conservatives on both sides of the border should rightly be doing far more to welcome such new citizens into our ranks as natural allies.

As for ballet, I'm familiar with danseurs & most of its other (ironically, with the topic above, French) terminology. My former sweetie was fully trained (Cecchetti) including her teaching certificates & likely could have made the company with our National, Royal Winnipeg, etc. However, with little money in same, unless you're a principal ballerina super star & being no Pavlova, she opted to teach school instead.
BTW, had you heard Celia Franca finally passed away at 85 last week?

[Basheva]

****As for ballet, I'm familiar with danseurs & most of its other (ironically, with the topic above, French) terminology. My former sweetie was fully trained (Cecchetti) including her teaching certificates & likely could have made the company with our National, Royal Winnipeg, etc. However, with little money in same, unless you're a principal ballerina super star & being no Pavlova, she opted to teach school instead.
BTW, had you heard Celia Franca finally passed away at 85 last week?***

Yes, I am very much aware of Celia Franca her own career as a dancer and her founding of the National Ballet of Canada -and her recent death. I am very active in the dance world as a critic, published writer and technical consultant. I am also very much aware of the (Enrico) Cecchetti syllabus (having taken it myself for several years) but chose not to be a Cecchetti teacher. I find syllabus work - RAD, Cecchetti, ISTD, less so Vaganova - rather static both for the teacher as well as the student. The dancer of today needs a much wider horizon than any one syllabus can offer.

I am also familiar with the Royal Winnepeg Ballet, having seen and critiiqued them - the last time unfortunately not very favorably.

The ballet world (as is true of many of the art fields) is risky - injury at any moment can end a career in an instant, and even a stellar career is relatively short lived - and getting shorter. It is also much more intense than it used to be with the technical level "advancing" beyond any normal expectation playing havoc with the dancers' bodies and audience expectations. When one sits and counts rotations of a pirouette - something is wrong.

The principals (stars) certainly can earn more than sufficient remuneratiton but it is certainly a gamble. However, dancers - those who truly "go for it" have no choice - they are inwardly compelled. They simply "must dance." For some of us it is an unquenchable fire in the belly.

Enchainement for you:

Temps levé, chassé, pas de bourrée, glissade, grand saut de chat, failli, piqué attitude effacé derriére, failli, pirouette en dors, fermé a la quatriéme croisé derriére.

French is indeed the language of the ballet - it is a child of the French Court - but actually born in Italy.

Hmmmm....I do believe we have taken this thread off topic....so to bring it back....

One of the most important glues that keeps a people/country/culture together is language. When India became independent they had a very serious language war costing thousands of lives. India hosts several hundred languages and no one was willing to have their own language ignored. So, as a compromise they finally settled on English and Hindi as the offical languages. With English, I believe, the language of the government. It was English that saved them from further catastrophe.