Serbian language under growing influence of English

BELGRADE - Domestic linguists warned on Friday, on the International Mother Language Day, that the Serbian language is under the growing influence of English, but that it is jeopardized to the same extent as other languages with great traditions.

However, it is unlikely that a monolingual civilization will be formed, and as for the languages of national minorities in Serbia, the experts claim that they are not under threat of extinction.

Suzana Paunovic, head of the Office for Human and Minority Rights, said that members of national minorities in Serbia's education system are taking lessons in their minority languages, and when this is not possible, primarily for the number of students, they are provided with mother tongue lessons with elements of national culture.

There are over 10,000 children in primary schools who are being educated in 10 languages of national minorities in Serbia, the Office's latest data show.

The lessons are held in 13 minority languages including over 45,000 children in primary schools and over 13,000 young people in secondary schools.

Paunovic said that there are over 100 print media in 16 minority languages in Serbia.

Moreover, 42 units of local self-government have around 10 national minority languages in their official use, Paunovic told Tanjug on the occasion of February 21, the International Mother Language Day.

Almost every day, one language in the world disappears, and linguists believe that out of 6,000 languages, more than a half and even up to 90 percent of languages will disappear by the end of 20th century.

In 2006, Serbia ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Photo, Tanjug video