Myth or Reality?

Abstract

To what extent is the European Union’s push toward multilingualism a reality? What impact has English had on the EU’s multilingual agenda? To answer these questions, this chapter explores the use of English within EU organizations along with official statements supporting multilingualism to promote integration, enhance job mobility, and counterbalance English. While focusing on the EU, it briefly looks at the Council of Europe’s work promoting individual plurilingualism. It further examines efforts by France to resist English and restore the status of French within EU institutions, especially post-Brexit. Critiquing the EU’s “mother tongue plus two” program for all Europeans, the chapter looks at language learning and proficiency across EU countries. Despite years of funding for language learning, including the Erasmus+ program promoting student mobility, evidence shows that most Europeans are not gaining high proficiency in multiple languages but rather concentrating on learning English for its economic value and social appeal.