|
|
Article: English as a first language.(COMMENTARY)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- February 22, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Washington Times LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Marian Kester Coombs, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
As the new year began, the final round of "World Idol" on TV was down to ten contestants - from Belgium, Germany, Norway, Denmark, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and the "Pan Arab States" (which seemed to consist of the emirates).
Each finalist country was contacted to report its own particular vote, then the winning singer got to perform his number once more. Improbably, a gap-toothed, rather pudgy and extremely fair Norwegian won. The proceedings in their entirety were conducted (and sung) in English.
The only diction hard to understand was that of the ...