> dilution of your language

Let me guess, you're french?

Nope, British. But I'm interested in linguistics, and how English affects other languages and the communities that speak those languages.

I don't see how this is a bad thing though. The more cultural and linguistic bonds there are between nations, the happier everybody gets. More empathy, less war, easier trade, more friends and more options for living and working wherever you like.

Personally, I think there are advantages and disadvantages. The big disadvantage is that small communities which have high social cohesion get squashed by the larger community, which leads to resentment and bitterness. In the UK, we see this with Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Scouse, Geordie, the Black Country, etc. They have all been squashed by 'Estuary English' (although some are making a resurgence).

Online communities (including StackOverflow and Hacker News) do much the same thing by putting rules in place about how people talk with each other. When people break those rules, we get upset, because we see those breaking the rules as 'outsiders' and a threat to the community.

I believe that language can have much the same effect. When English comes in, it often results in people forgetting local mythology, songs, rituals, etc, as a result of forces like Hollywood and Simon Cowell. The community withers and is replaced by the great 'meh'.