If they were serious about preserving the Tibetan language, we’d need to see things like: Tibetan being the preferred language for all local government departments and banks and utilities companies (Mandarin available, but not common; hence creating more pressure on Han settlers to learn Tibetan); Tibetan the sole language used in court proceedings involving Tibetans; Tibetan universities where Tibetan is the sole language of instruction (other than in language subjects). I don’t know – maybe all of that is happening, and more. But none of the Tibetans I’ve spoken with in Beijing seem to be aware of it.

Also, gazing into the crystal ball, the big question for us is whether human society will survive at all, and, if it does, will it be able to sustain the technologically sophisticated, globally integrated civilization that has begun to emerge in recent decades? If it does, we’re going to move towards an integration of language as well: in a few hundred years, we’ll all be speaking English – albeit an English that might be almost unrecognisable to us today, and probably incorporating a lot of borrowings from other major languages like Spanish, French and Arabic (and, maybe, Mandarin).

I am not really trying to fight anything. Being able to speak Englisch mostly helps me observe what others are saying. And being able to speak it enables me to engage in this kind of discussion/debate/argument/fight/banter with you guys, which is great. Does being able to speak English make me an Anglophile? Not at all. Just like most Chinese-speaking foreigners are not Sinophile, I am far far far from an Anglophile or an admirer of everything Anglo-Saxon (including American). Actually being able to speak English helped me a great deal in understanding who I am and where my place is. It reinforced my identity. Let me say this: I was a lot more pro-western when I did not speak English. Now I have completely shaken that off, with the help of English.

I agree with you that the English-speaking, Judeo-Christian culture had a huge head start. And I do think for a long time to come it is going to remain this way. None of the non-western civilizations will be able to dethrone you guys soon. However, in the long-run anything can happen. Not that I am completely against your culture, I just think your culture is too dominant and that is a bad thing. There should be several dominant cultures. Just like always eating Chinese is very boring. Let’s have something else: bibimbab, temupra udong, pad thai and chicken tandoori.

Did you actually take a good look at those links that I provided? If you did, how could you say that China is not “taking sufficient measures to preserve and promote it”, at least on paper? What more do you want? What kind of language policy do you want for Xizang?

“I look forward to the day when Mandarin has given place to English as China’s official language. The process has already started”

Not a chance. The prominence of Englisch will gradually die down with the decline of the US and the Anglo-Saxon world, plus the increasingly vibrant cultural and language awareness among people. If there are 10 Tibetan Chinese complaining about the loss of the Tibetan language, there will be 1000 Chinese of all sorts complaining about the loss of Mandarin. English will remain important, but there is no way whatsoever that it is going to take over. Official language in China? Sure, in your dream Froog!

Now that I am happy that most Chinese don’t speak Englisch at all or speak crappy Englisch.

All of the native Tibetan political leaders we see on TV look pretty thoroughly Sinified – wearing suits and red ties, smoking Zhongnanhai, drinking maotai, etc.

I agree that American pop culture is a powerful homogenizing influence worldwide, and I rather regret that. However, the Chinese leadership (and some Western commentators too) really seem to envisage a future in which Chinese culture will be an equally potent influence. I have my doubts about that; I think the English-speaking, Judaeo-Christian world had got way too much of a head start. But we have an interesting century ahead of us.