rhymes with colt wrote:
English is the international language.
Swahili is not.
There is no one international language. Arabic, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Swahili are all used as international languages. In many areas of the world, these languages are far more important for international business than English.
An athlete from Kenya racing in Germany organized by a federation in Monaco has zero obligation to speak English.
I've heard Dennis Kimetto speak Swahili and he's just not an expressive person. Said somethi to this effect: "I ran the race and won". Simple farmer guy who's not one to think his introspections should be heard by the whole world. I get some are from a culture that enjoy talking about themselves even turning to psychoanalysis for lack of an audience, but to criticise a RUNNER who's just broken the world record for not being as prolific with his tongue is bad form.
And how ironic for a bunch of monolingual media guys and forum posters to complain about someone who speaks at least 3 languages (some better than others).
Caleb's Hat wrote:
There is no one international language.
Let me be more specific.
English is the DOMINANT international language.
Arabic, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Swahili are all used as international languages. In many areas of the world, these languages are far more important for international business than English.
That doesn't disprove what I've said.
An athlete from Kenya racing in Germany organized by a federation in Monaco has zero obligation to speak English.
I never said he did. Chill.
rhymes with colt wrote:
Caleb's Hat wrote:There is no one international language.
Let me be more specific.
English is the DOMINANT international language.
Still not true, that completely depends on the region. If you're in West Africa the dominant international language is French, if you're in Kenya or Tanzania the dominant international language is Swahili. Communication is a 2-way street, if you're not putting in the effort then you can't complain.
If you're talking WORLDWIDE, then English is the THIRD-most spoken language in the world (including second-language speakers), so it's up there, but not dominant.
rhymes with colt wrote:
English is the international language.
Try going to a business meeting in France or Japan without a translator and see how you get on.
English is by far the most spoken language in the world and is the only true universal language in the world. It is spoken and taught in virtually every country on Earth, even Russia.
Loot wrote:
English is by far the most spoken language in the world
Except Chinese and Spanish, but they don't count, since they're not mostly white people.
El Keniano wrote:
Good wrote:Yeah. These ladies are good for the sport and for connecting with Western audiences in English speaking Europe and North America. Much better to have someone like Hassan speaking in slightly choppy English about her feelings and race thoughts than Kimetto mumbling "I am happy with race because I win".
How's your Swahili?
Non-existent. Although, as I'm sure you know, English is an international language for business, aviation, and commerce among other sectors. Without races outside of Africa, none of the African runners would be making dough. Thus, pander more to the fans in the undecided swing category instead of your already-decided core base.
More international African runners should be taking foreign-language classes if they cared anything about the sport. They need to build fan bases in the international community if they want to see more races with better prize moneys in the future. Otherwise, all the foreign races they look to know will eventually just turn into asinine 'tough-mudders' and 'colour' runs...
Good wrote:
El Keniano wrote:How's your Swahili?
Non-existent. Although, as I'm sure you know, English is an international language for business, aviation, and commerce among other sectors. Without races outside of Africa, none of the African runners would be making dough. Thus, pander more to the fans in the undecided swing category instead of your already-decided core base.
More international African runners should be taking foreign-language classes if they cared anything about the sport. They need to build fan bases in the international community if they want to see more races with better prize moneys in the future. Otherwise, all the foreign races they look to know will eventually just turn into asinine 'tough-mudders' and 'colour' runs...
Like top businessmen and entrepreneurs who live here in N.A. tend to learn "conversational 'insert language'" of the country they are attempting to do business in, foreign runners should follow that best practice when they go out and try to make careers elsewhere. I'll gladly watch Geoffrey Mutai any day over Kimetto because at least Mutai speaks English in a coherent way and can express a few more feelings than "I'm happy because I win the race".
German Businessman wrote:
Loot wrote:English is by far the most spoken language in the world
Except Chinese and Spanish, but they don't count, since they're not mostly white people.
Mandarin and Spanish have more native speakers than English but English is by far the most spoken second language and the total of native and second language speakers of English, roughly two billion people, dwarfs any other language, twice as many as Mandarin and four times as many as Spanish.
sprechen sie englisch wrote:
German Businessman wrote:Except Chinese and Spanish, but they don't count, since they're not mostly white people.
Mandarin and Spanish have more native speakers than English but English is by far the most spoken second language and the total of native and second language speakers of English, roughly two billion people, dwarfs any other language, twice as many as Mandarin and four times as many as Spanish.
Very true. And the dollar is the world's currency. But the current administration is doing it's damndest to change that.
Good wrote:
Good wrote:Non-existent. Although, as I'm sure you know, English is an international language for business, aviation, and commerce among other sectors. Without races outside of Africa, none of the African runners would be making dough. Thus, pander more to the fans in the undecided swing category instead of your already-decided core base.
More international African runners should be taking foreign-language classes if they cared anything about the sport. They need to build fan bases in the international community if they want to see more races with better prize moneys in the future. Otherwise, all the foreign races they look to know will eventually just turn into asinine 'tough-mudders' and 'colour' runs...
Like top businessmen and entrepreneurs who live here in N.A. tend to learn "conversational 'insert language'" of the country they are attempting to do business in, foreign runners should follow that best practice when they go out and try to make careers elsewhere. I'll gladly watch Geoffrey Mutai any day over Kimetto because at least Mutai speaks English in a coherent way and can express a few more feelings than "I'm happy because I win the race".
So you're disinclined to watch Kimetto run because he's inarticulate with limited language skills? Please do us all a favour and take a seat. Race organisers would have the world record holder headline their event over more talkative types like Wesley Korir any day.
German Businessman wrote:
Loot wrote:English is by far the most spoken language in the world
Except Chinese and Spanish, but they don't count, since they're not mostly white people.
Hi, idiot. First of all there is no "Chinese" language. They speak either Canton or Mandarin. Second, people outside of China do not speak those languages at all. Spanish is a distance second behind English as far as universal languages go. It's a native tongue in most of South/Central America, but nowhere else outside of Spain, even in Europe. People rarely take the time to learn it
Loot wrote:
German Businessman wrote:Except Chinese and Spanish, but they don't count, since they're not mostly white people.
Hi, idiot. First of all there is no "Chinese" language. They speak either Canton or Mandarin. Second, people outside of China do not speak those languages at all. Spanish is a distance second behind English as far as universal languages go. It's a native tongue in most of South/Central America, but nowhere else outside of Spain, even in Europe. People rarely take the time to learn it
An AMERICAN saying Spanish is insignificant? Oh, the irony.
some things:
-How many Americans speak a second language?
-English is really the biggest international business language. Also in academics English is the most used language. Where I live almost half of the academic studies is in English.
-Why should Kimetto speak English?
Interesting thread wrote:
some things:
-How many Americans speak a second language?
-English is really the biggest international business language. Also in academics English is the most used language. Where I live almost half of the academic studies is in English.
-Why should Kimetto speak English?
Three very good points. Kimetto would no doubt be happier if everyone who interviewed him spoke his language. We all have to deal with inconveniences. Make the best of it rather than complain. Isn't witnessing a world record better than listening to the commentary anyway?
Well, now that Jeptoo has tumbled, I predict eventually Kimetto will as well and then no one will care about anything he does or doesn't mumble. 2:02:57? Yeah. Let's stop kidding ourselves...there's nothing 'natural' about that. So there isn't anything 'illegal' proven yet, but K is likely pumped on a few things much like Sleazy Sal pumps thyroids. 2:02:57...right. Just like how loads of people admired Lance for incredible feats of athleticism...now look where he is.