Name: Don't insist on English!
Uploaded: 2011-03-28T14:31:00Z
Duration: 10 min 18 s
Description: Patricia Ryan is a longtime English teacher who asks a provocative question: Is the world's focus on English preventing the spread of great ideas in other languages? In other words: What if Einstein had to pass the TOEFL? It's a passionate defense of translating and sharing ideas.

Patricia Ryan is a longtime English teacher who asks a provocative question: Is the world's focus on English preventing the spread of great ideas in other languages? In other words: What if Einstein had to pass the TOEFL? It's a passionate defense of translating and sharing ideas.

Don't insist on English!

The dominance of English as a global language is accelerating the extinction of other languages, with one disappearing every 14 days. This creates barriers that prevent brilliant minds from sharing ideas unless they pass costly language tests. Stories of lost indigenous knowledge and overlooked talent show how equating intelligence with English fluency narrows opportunity and innovation. Reviving translation and valuing all languages can open doors to untapped discoveries.