[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 138 (Wednesday, October 13, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2086-E2087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         VOA'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAMMING

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 13, 1999

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, the Voice of America (VOA) is celebrating 40 
years of broadcasting Special English programs. I call this to the 
attention of our colleagues because this is a service offered by the 
United States Government that is appreciated by millions around the 
world, but is little known here at home. VOA's Special English program 
was first broadcast over the international airwaves on October 19, 
1959. Today, there are Special English broadcasts around the world 
seven days a week, six times a day, delivering the latest news and 
features on American culture, science, medicine, and literature.
  Special English began as an experiment to communicate by radio 
clearly and simply with people whose native language is not English. It 
was an immediate success. Special English programs quickly became some 
of the most popular programs on VOA. Forty years later they still are. 
And they still are unique. No other international radio station has a 
specialized series of English news and feature programs aimed at non-
native English speakers around the world.
  VOA Special English is different from standard English in the way it 
is written and the way it is delivered. Its vocabulary is limited to 
1,500 words. It is spoken slowly, in short, active-voice sentences. 
Although the format is simple, the content is not. Complex, topical 
subjects are described in an easy to understand, concise way.
  Through the years, Special English has become a very popular English 
teaching tool, even though it was not designed to teach English. Its 
limited vocabulary, short sentences and slow pace of speaking help 
listeners become comfortable with American English. Individuals record 
the programs and play them over and over to practice their listening 
skills. Teachers of English in dozens of countries including China, 
Japan, Vietnam, Iran, Cuba, Russia, Nepal and Nigeria use Special 
English in their classes. They praise it for improving their students' 
ability to understand American English and for the content of the 
programs.
  For many listeners, VOA Special English programs provide a window 
into American life that may change some misconceptions. A listener from 
China wrote:


       A wonderful world appeared before my eyes through my radio 
     receiver. There were your history, your everyday life, your 
     brave and intelligent people and your words. To get a better 
     appreciation about you, I spent most of my spare time in 
     learning. I could say you presented people like me, those who 
     have only limited English knowledge, an approachable American 
     culture and acted like a usher leading us into it.


  For other listeners, VOA Special English provides information that 
they cannot get elsewhere. A listener in Havana, Cuba writes:


       I'm sure that you are not able to imagine how many people 
     listen to you every day. What is important in Special English 
     is that you broadcast the most important news and later give 
     us important reports about science, environment, agriculture 
     and then follow with 15 minute programs about all the things 
     people are interested in.


  And for other listeners, VOA Special English offers a way of learning 
American English. A listener in Tehran, Iran writes:


       It was summer 1993 that I started listening to your 
     programs, and during the first summer, I really had a great 
     improvement in my English speaking, specially my accent. Many

[[Page E2087]]

     times I wanted to write letters to you, but I was afraid, 
     because I was not sure I could write in a way that I could 
     reflect what was in my heart. I thank you because you did 
     something that no one could do. I suffer from visual 
     problems, so your programs with their independence of vision 
     helped me a lot.


  Mr. Speaker, the hundreds of such testimonial letters and e-mail 
messages that are received each month are proof that Special English 
makes a difference in the lives of people around the world. I invite my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating the Special English branch of 
the Voice of America on its 40th anniversary.

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