Can I be literate if I know English?

Mondo Health Updated on 2024-02-29

When watching the strange story, I saw a contestant on stage debating in English, and he said that the purpose of this was to let everyone not only see that he could debate, but also that he had a cultural side. After reading this, I feel physically uncomfortable, my heart is also uncomfortable, and I even want to vomit a little, is it considered to be literate if I know English?

In fact, knowing English is not literate or quality at all. If you go around the United States, which of the illiterate, blind, and hooligans on the streets is not better than you?

Of course, being able to speak a foreign language is also a reflection of people's high material life to a certain extent, after all, there is very little poor person who can learn a foreign language and can speak it well. Note that this is a foreign language, not English, which is just one of hundreds of foreign languages. Americans are not new when they speak English, but they are new when they speak Chinese. Language is a tool, not a culture itself. Mastery of English does not mean that a person has a certain cultural literacy or quality. In fact, not in any language.

Why speaking a language isn't really a science or a science, let's do an interesting thought experiment.

Suppose the earth is divided into two, there are two countries, one China and one United Kingdom, each occupying a continent, blocked by the ocean, and the two countries have never intersected. Let's imagine whether it is possible for China to develop geometry and mechanics after years of scientific research and development, so that the subsequent invention of the steam engine, the answer is definitely yes. So whether it is possible for the British to develop the compass, papermaking, silk, and ceramics, the answer must be certain. Because these are real knowledge, there are real uses, they can make people's lives better, and their theories are relevant and inevitable, as long as the environment is similar, they must be able to be discovered and applied, but sooner or later.

So, think about it, is it possible for China to invent English, and is it possible for Britain to invent Chinese? The answer is almost impossible, because one language is sufficient, and even if a person knows many languages, it will not have a substantial improvement in his expressive function. On the contrary, there will be more language, which is actually a burden on people.

Therefore, language is actually different from other studies and sciences, and it cannot be regarded as a kind of knowledge in itself, but at most a tool.

In fact, more strictly speaking, language is just a regulation, which is artificially agreed upon, and does not arise spontaneously. Just like our current unit of measurement, how long is a meter, how much is a pound, it is just a regulation, there is no scientific value, Americans use inches, ounces, and they have not seen any more advanced.

Language is such a regulation or norm, whether it comes or goes, it is all artificial, and without that natural law to constrain it, it is not considered science or learning.

The attitude of learning English on knees should be abandoned. Some people worship English excessively, regard it as the supreme language, and even go so far as to give up their native culture in pursuit of English proficiency. This attitude of learning English on your knees not only goes against the original purpose of language learning, but also leads to neglect and forgetfulness of your own culture. Therefore, we should establish a correct attitude towards language learning, cherish our native culture, and learn other language tools such as English with an open and inclusive mind.

Of course, I don't discriminate against English, nor against people who learn and use it, and English has its value just like any other language. However, English is certainly not a more advanced language, so let's get back to where it belongs.

Related Pages