Live and Let Die: The Argument for PhilaGlobish

As the Académie Française launches a new website to support the French language in its fight against the intrusion of foreign influences, we reflect on whether one can ever successfully resist the tides of change.

All languages represent stages of human development and any that do not move on will surely die. Changes in modes of expression are a reflection rather than a cause of cultural development. Due to the new media we are experiencing globalisation at a vastly accelerated rate contributing to political upheavals that will be inevitably followed by a further convergence of international social interests and a broader trading picture.

The Stamp Market has undergone dramatic changes in the last decades, a changing pattern of buyers and sellers due to both social and economic forces. These changes need not be viewed pessimistically. The loss of the high street stamp shops is another obstacle to the encouragement of young collectors but should not be seen as symbolic of a hopeless situation. Sweetshops have also disappeared but we still eat sweets.

Traditional trading methods are under examination and we must not ignore the cross-fertilisation of culture and ideas from which true progress emerges. The French see such changes as part of a sinister "Anglo-Saxon" plot to make them work harder and longer with "Globish", a simplified form of universal English predicted to become the universal language of world commerce, regarded as a particularly iniquitous threat to French values. 

In London we have noticed in the last few years an ever wider catchment of bidders captured by the worldwide exposure of our auction catalogues. This means, of course, that we are dealing with an increasing number of clients for whom English is not their first language. Our reaction to this has been to keep an increasingly close eye on our auction descriptions for clarity of expression whilst keeping to a minimum the number of confusing abbreviations employed.

Perhaps in the future a common vocabulary of philatelic terms universally accepted across the world might also help. If "Globish" is to be the language of international commerce then "PhilaGlobish" could be advantageous.

To be fair to all, this might include words sourced from other languages that would enrich the traditional English philatelic glossary.

From Italian "libretto" for "booklet" has an obvious musical quality and instead of "coil" we could have "bobina", a word common to Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. Spanish could also contribute the snappy "lupa" in place of "magnifying glass".

French would not be left out. "Dentelé" would be an acceptable alternative to "perforated", conjuring up as it does, up the snaggle-toothed edges of postage stamps rather aptly. Indeed, we already use "teeth" when referring to Finnish rouletted stamps.

Choosing terms from German would be more difficult as they tend to sound harsh to delicate ears. Having to use "Druckprobe" for a "proof" would be upsetting and I would rather have a "crease" than a "bug". The single word "makulatur" would be a definite improvement, though, on the almost lavatorial term we now use - "printer's waste".

For now, to you all, Bon Halloween ! (as the French do say, in spite of their Académie).

JG