English as a Global Language

How far has English already spread? How much further can we expect it to go? In response to the first question, this chapter tries to identify the areas of life where English already serves as a lingua franca in the world (more or less) and those where the language faces sharp competition and does not threaten to marginalize the other major languages. The former areas of life are international safety, the internal business of international organizations, internal communication within the international news industry, international sports and science. The latter areas are the press, television, the internet, publishing and international trade. As to the second question, about the future prospects of English, the chapter argues that the advance of English will depend heavily on the motives to learn the other major languages in the world as well. Based on the empirical evidence, the same model applies to the incentives to learn English and these other languages. On the important topic of welfare, the cultural market is the single one where it is arguable that the progress of English has gone too far. English dominance in the song, the cinema and the best-seller is indeed extraordinary and difficult to reconcile with the evidence popular attachments to home languages, which is otherwise strong and apparent.

Agronomic and commercial performance of four Spanish carob cultivars

The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) shows interesting prospects for some coastal Mediterranean growing areas and is widely used for industrial, agricultural, and ornamental purposes. It can be an alternative crop adapted to part-time farming and can also be used to regenerate vegetation in areas with a mild climate and erosion problems. Four Spanish carob cultivars were examined (Banya de Cabra, Duraio, Matalafera, and Rojal) to determine the one that performed the best for planting new orchards in northeastern Spain (Catalonia). The trees in this rain-fed trial (average rainfall of 500 mm) were planted in 1986 using seedling rootstocks that were budded in 1987. The trees were trained using the free-vase system and were spaced 8 x 9 m (138 trees/ha including 12% pollinators). The results showed that ���Rojal��� was the earliest bearing cultivar. However, no significant differences were observed for cumulative pod production 18 years after budding. With respect to cumulative seed yield, ���Duraio��� had the highest production (95 kg/tree). The lowest tree vigor (trunk cross-section) was observed in ���Matalafera���. ���Rojal��� trees produced the largest pods (average fruit weight of 18.9 g) and lowest seed content (11.8%), while ���Banya de Cabra��� and ���Duraio��� produced the smallest fruit (weighing 15.3 and 16.2 g, respectively) with the highest seed content (15.2% and 17.3%, respectively). Gum content, expressed as a percentage of the dry weight, was highest in ���Duraio��� (56.9%) and was lowest in ���Rojal��� (54.1%). Thus, in terms of kernel and pod production, ���Duraio��� appeared to be the best-performing female cultivar for planting new carob orchards

Women at home, at school and in the factory. The particular discourse of domesticity done by the Spanish Escuela Economista (1861-1909)

The texts by the Spanish Economist School (second half of the 19th century) contain an assessment of the role of women in the economy and society that is transgressor in front of the prevailing discourse that defended a unique and exclusive role for all women: being at home and a mother. Most members of that economic trend defended female work in the factories, basing themselves on wage arguments and even asked for a professional training for those who in many cases could not even write and read for the fact of being a woman. The texts of those economists give new ideas about the economic and social role of women in a Spain dominated by a discourse that denied the necessity of female work for the working families.

Portal-foro para el aprendizaje de lenguas hispano-japonesas

El trabajo descrito en esta memoria es el resultado de un proyecto de colaboraci��n universitaria entre la Universidad Aut��noma de Bellaterra, la Universidad Complutense de Madrid y la Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus de Jap��n, cuya finalidad es la de ayudar a estudiantes de lenguas japonesa y espa��ola en horas extra escolares a mejorar y practicar sus conocimientos elementales de las lenguas de estudio mediante el empleo de tecnolog��as Web. Se describe aqu�� la plataforma seleccionada para el desarrollo de un foro conversacional y otras utilidades que ayudar�� y reforzar�� a los estudiantes los conocimientos del idioma japon��s suministrados en horarios de clase.

El catal��, llengua d'oci en els joves

Treball de recerca realitzat per una alumna d'ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit cient����fic del Jovent l'any 2009. Aquest treball de recerca consisteix en una an��lisi de la llengua catalana en l'��mbit de l'oci en els joves. Fent aquesta an��lisi es pret��n arribar a saber quina llengua predomina en l'��s dels joves quan escolten m��sica, llegeixen, miren la televisi��, juguen amb els amics, naveguen per internet, etc.,tamb�� es vol obtenir resultats fiables per saber la situaci�� de la llengua catalana en l'oci d'aquests joves aix�� com les causes i les variables d'aquesta situaci��. A partir d'unes 173 enquestes realitzades al curs de 2n de batxillerat de l'IES Antoni de Mart�� i Franqu��s, s'ha pogut dur a terme aquest estudi. Per fer aquest treball, en primer lloc es va procedir a la lectura de bibliografia relacionada amb la socioling����stica catalana. Despr��s es va analitzar el concepte d'oci, i es va formular una enquesta que pogu��s resoldre els objectius. Un cop fetes les 173 enquestes se'n van codificar i tractar els resultats. A partir de les dades es van fer uns gr��fics tot analitzant-les i aix�� veure la situaci�� real de la llengua catalana. Tamb�� es va comparar aquest treball amb un altre estudi anterior realitzat per l'Institut de socioling����stica catalana. I despr��s d'haver parlat sobre la situaci�� de la llengua catlana entre els joves amb diversos experts en el tema se'n van treure unes conclusions.

Els refranys: estudi i equival��ncies

Treball de recerca realitzat per una alumna d'ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit cient��fic del Jovent l'any 2009. El treball es divideix en tres grans blocs tem��tics, seguint una seq����ncia l��gica: teoria dels refranys, recull de refranys catalans i els seus equivalents (inclou la creaci�� d un diccionari) i l���aplicaci�� pr��ctica del treball en un lloc web. Dins del bloc te��ric es tracten amb profunditat ��mbits de la fraseologia i la paremiologia (ci��ncia dels refranys i les unitats fraseol��giques) com ara la formaci�� dels refranys, la seva estructura, el seu significat i el seu ��s. Tamb�� s���hi inclou un criteri de comparaci�� de refranys de lleng��es diferents, tenint en compte aspectes com el seu grau d idiomaticitat (possibilitat d���establir el significat d���una unitat pel seu sentit figurat i a la vegada pel seu sentit literal). Cal destacar que l���estudi te��ric dels refranys ��s gaireb�� inexistent en llengua catalana, i que en conseq����ncia l���elaboraci�� d���aquesta part del projecte ha requerit un esfor�� suplementari. En el segon bloc, partint d���un recull de refranys pertanyent al besavi de l���alumna, on hi constaven refranys catalans amb els seus equivalents en franc��s i castell��, s���elabora un diccionari de refranys, explicant el significat d���aquests i afegint-hi l���equivalent en angl��s, i en alguns casos, fins i tot es comenta l���antecedent llat�� del refrany. Per tal de trobar una dimensi�� pr��ctica al nou recull, es procedeix a la creaci�� d���un lloc web, amb la intenci�� de difondre el contingut del diccionari. Aquest seria el tercer bloc que conforma el treball.

Devolution dynamics of Spanish local government

Over the last few years, ther has been a devolutionary tendency in many developed and developing countries. In this article we propose a methodology to decompose whether the benefits in terms of effciency derived from transfers of powers from higher to municipal levels of government "the "economic dividend" of devolution) might increase over time. This methodology is based on linear programming approaches for effciency measurement. We provide anapplication to Spanish municipalities, which have had to adapt to both the European Stability and Growth Pact as well as to domestic regulation seeking local governments balanced budget. Results indicate that efficiency gains from enhaced decentralization have increased over time. However, the way through which these gains accrue differs across municipalities -in some cases technical change is the main component, whereas in others catching up dominates.

Heterogeneity across immigrants in the Spanish labour

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the diferences that immigrants have in the Spanish labour market. Immigrants in Spain come from a diversity of continents (Africa, South America, Eastern Europe, Asia, etc.), and there are substantial diferences in characteristics not only among continents but also among countries in each continent. Using a quantile regression method of decomposition we estimate these diferences that are reflected in the labour market and in particular are mirrored in the wage, so some immigrants are more discriminated or segregated that others because they have less advantage. For example Argentineans and Peruvians have the same origin and culture but we can find diferences in the wage that they receive in the Spanish labor market, or for example Moroccans have a advantage with respect to the Rest of Africans, due to the geographical proximity to Spain. So when we study the pay gap and the gender pay gap we need to take into consideration the origin of immigrants. We also want to study how the integration of immigrants evolved across years, whether the wage gap that we find in the first episode of work between immigrants and natives disappears or continues to be present in the Spain labour market.

Language knowledge and earnings in Catalonia

In this paper we are aimed to investigate the relationship between Catalan knowledge and individual earnings in Catalonia. Using data from 2006, we find a positive earning return to Catalan proficiency; however, when accounting for self-selection into Catalan knowledge, we find a higher language return (20% of extra earnings), suggesting that individuals who are more prone to know Catalan are also less remunerated than others (negative selection effect). Moreover, we also find important complementarities between language knowledge and completed education, which means that only more educated individuals benefit from Catalan knowledge.

Testing, not modelling, the impact of cohesion support: a theoretical framework and some preliminary results for the Spanish regions

This paper develops a simple model that can be used to estimate the effectiveness of Cohesion expenditure relative to similar but unsubsidized projects, thereby making it possible to explicitly test an important assumption that is often implicit in estimates of the impact of Cohesion policies. Some preliminary results are reported for the case of infrastructure investment in the Spanish regions.

Language knowledge and earnings in Catalonia

This paper investigates the economic value of Catalan knowledge for national and foreign first- and second-generation immigrants in Catalonia. Specifically, drawing on data from the ���Survey on Living Conditions and Habits of the Catalan Population (2006)���, we want to quantify the expected earnings differential between individuals who are proficient in Catalan and those who are not, taking into account the potential endogeneity between knowledge of Catalan and earnings. The results indicate the existence of a positive return to knowledge of Catalan, with a 7.5% increase in earnings estimated by OLS; however, when we account for the presence of endogeneity, monthly earnings are around 18% higher for individuals who are able to speak and write Catalan. However, we also find that language and education are complementary inputs for generating earnings in Catalonia, given that knowledge of Catalan increases monthly earnings only for more educated individuals.

Is the Spanish Inheritance and Gift Tax incompatible with the free movement of workers and capital?: The reasoned opinion of the EU Commission IP/10/513

The aim of my speech is answering to the question if the Spanish Inheritance and Gift Tax is incompatible with the free movement of workers and capital. We are going to pay special attention to the European Commission���s request to Spain to change its Inheritance and Gift Tax provisions for Non-Residents or Assets held abroad. In order to answer to the question mentioned above five points will be explained. At first place I am going to describe the infrengement procedure established in the Article 258 that the EU Commission can follow when a Member State doesn���t comply with Community Law. At second place, we are going to explain what is the content of the EU Commission delivered on 5th of may 2010 regarding the spanish Inheritance and Gift Tax. Then, we will analise what establishes the Community Law regarding the freedom of workers and capital and how they are understood by the EU Court of Justice in similar cases. Finally, we are going to provide possible amendments that Spain could undertake.