The European Language of Brexit - Creative Word

The UK Brexit vote, taken in June 2016, is still hotly debated in UK newspapers, Parliament, homes and businesses across the country. The outcome of the vote, and the ensuing implications for the UK, are as yet, still largely unknown and undetermined, however, the European Commission’s president, Jean-Claude Juncker, recently claimed that “slowly but surely English is losing its importance in Europe”.

This comment was in part due to Theresa May’s refusal to conduct negotiations in French, and also due to plans to reduce the importance of the English language within the EU. German is the most spoken language in Europe at present, however, almost 40% of all European adults speak English as a second language.

These statistics highlight the fact that there has been a shift in language use throughout Europe, with a need to adapt English to fit current trends. Once the UK leaves the EU, the majority of people in the EU are likely to speak English only as a second language.

A paper written recently by Marko Mondiano, a Swedish academic, suggests that there has been a new language development, which can be classified as ‘EU English’. He suggests the standards for spoken English will now be set by those who speak English only as a second language.

Already, within the corridors of Brussels, there are phrases that morph a Standard English sentence structure with a more flexible second language speaker approach, such as, “I am coming from France” instead of “I come from France”. The English abilities of non-native speakers within the EU will no longer come under the scrutiny of native speaking colleagues – leading to a much more relaxed version of English being spoken on the continent.

The influence of the UK on EU law and policy is expected to be non-existent, however, it is uncertain what effect the UK’s absence will have upon language and communication between remaining EU countries. Mondiano suggests that the ability to communicate in English is an “an integral component of globalisation”, nevertheless, both Malta and Ireland (predominantly English speaking nations) do not list English as their primary language.

Despite this, it seems that English is likely to remain the go-to-language for EU bureaucrats who wish to communicate with their neighbouring contemporaries. It is even possible that a European English dictionary may be created, which would formalise this ‘EU English’ and set standards for new terms, spellings and grammar.

The long term role of EU English in the EU is unclear. The differences between English spoken in the UK, and that spoken in the EU, may well evolve to become an independent variation much like American or Australian – a hybrid version that has its roots in English, but that has been transformed by other influences.

EU English also highlights the complexities of the English language. Many non-native speakers find it easier to amalgamate English with their own language, giving rise to this new version with differing syntax, phrases and idioms.

However, EU English also highlights the need for professional translators, who are able to identify regional difference and standardised grammar, and adapt a text to suit the audience. For an international audience, the new EU English might be perfectly acceptable, but when applied to native speakers this text might appear flawed, inarticulate or inaccurate.