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From: lrb@hpcnof.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Old World languages in the New World
Message-ID: <52200001@hpcnof.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Nov-85 14:08:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpcnof.52200001
Posted: Wed Nov 20 14:08:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Nov-85 05:39:03 EST
Organization: 20 Nov 85 12:08:00 MST
Lines: 32


Some time ago, I remember hearing statistics concerning how certain Old World
languages were spoken with more frequency in the New World.  Someone was 
comparing the population of individual cities, but I can only remember a part 
of the list:
 1) The largest English-speaking city in the world is not in England, but rather
    in America.  (Greater New York)
 2) The largest Spanish-speaking city in the world is not in Spain, but rather
    in Mexico.  (Greater Mexico City)
 3) The largest French-speaking city in the world is not in France, but rather
    in Canada.  (Greater Montreal)
 4) The largest Polish-speaking population in one city is not in Poland, but 
    rather in America.  (Greater Chicago)

I would appreciate any corrections to the above as well as any additions.  
For instance, some questions:
 -Do either New York or L.A. have more Spanish speakers than Mexico City?
 -Does Rio de Janeiro, Brazil have more Portugese speakers than Lisbon?
 -Accor. to Webster's, Paris proper has about twice the pop. of Montreal.  So it
  seems strange that "greater Montreal" could be larger than "greater Paris".
 -How does the list change if the criteria is changed from "(generic)-speaking"
  to "(generic)-heritage".  For instance, I have heard that there are far more
  "Norwegian-Americans" in the States than there are Norwegians in Norway.

Of course, it may be difficult if not impossible to determine the answer to
some of these questions.  For instance, how is "(generic)-speaking" defined?  
Or what constitutes a "(generic)-American"?  I.e. is a third generation 
"Polish American" classified as "Polish-speaking" if he learned a few dozen 
words of Polish from his grandparents?

-Larry Bruns
 ihnp4!hpfcla!l_bruns  or  hplabs!hpcnof!lrb