Europe's languages

Europe is no longer identical with the European Union," writes Otfried Höffe, professor of philosophy at the University of Tübingen, in an essay on Europe's viability for the future. "In particular in those areas where language is not a culturally neutral form of communication, it's important to preserve Europe's cultural diversity, or in other words, to publish works in two or three other major European languages, despite the existence of a lingua franca. Linguistic competence, however, is not just a question of practicality. It also serves the principle of reciprocal respect - an attitude which is crucial for Europe. Those who learn other languages are showing that they regard other cultures as being on an equal footing to their own."

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