Summary
"it is good to be on your guard against an Englishman who speaks French perfectly; he is very likely to be a card-sharper or an attache in the diplomatic service."
This extract from a book by Somerset Maugham targets a certain type of Englishman, the French, card-sharpers and diplomats, all in one fell swoop. Underlying it, moreover, is the view that there is something a little disreputable about having a good working knowledge of a foreign language, with the implication that English will always prove sufficient.See the full content of this document
Extract
What We Have Is an Expensive Failure to Communicate
Unfortunately, suspicion about the value of being able to speak another language lingers on. And...
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