母语对互联网使用的影响
The Effect of Native Language on Internet Usage
摘要：
我们的目标是区分以下两种假设：（A）互联网将不成比例地保持英语，随着时间的推移，将导致更多的人学习英语作为第二语言，从而巩固英语作为全球语言的作用。即使以汉语和西班牙语为母语的人比以英语为母语的人多，这种结果也会占上风。(B)随着互联网的成熟，它将更准确地反映世界各地使用的母语（也许是按购买力加权），而不会促进英语成为一种全球语言。如果那些母语不是英语的人经常访问目前可用的大量英语网站，那么英语在网络上的“早期领先地位”就更有可能持续下去。在这种情况下，许多现有的网站将没有动力开发非英语版本的网站，新的网站将倾向于使用英语。因此，关键的实证问题是，母语不是英语的人是否比母语是英语的人更少使用网络或某些类型的网站。为了研究这个问题的经验，我们采用了一个独特的数据集在加拿大的个人层面上的互联网使用媒体Meetings。加拿大为研究这一问题提供了理想的环境，因为英语是两种官方语言之一。我们的初步结果表明，英语网站是不是一个障碍，以互联网使用法语魁北克。这些初步结果与因特网将促进英语成为全球语言的设想是一致的。
英文摘要：
Our goal is to distinguish between the following two hypotheses: (A) The Internet will remain disproportionately in English and will, over time, cause more people to learn English as second language and thus solidify the role of English as a global language. This outcome will prevail even though there are more native Chinese and Spanish speakers than there are native English speakers. (B) As the Internet matures, it will more accurately reflect the native languages spoken around the world (perhaps weighted by purchasing power) and will not promote English as a global language. English's "early lead" on the web is more likely to persist if those who are not native English speakers frequently access the large number of English language web sites that are currently available. In that case, many existing web sites will have little incentive to develop non-English versions of their sites, and new sites will tend to gravitate towards English. The key empirical question, therefore, is whether individuals whose native language is not English use the Web, or certain types of Web sites, less than do native English speakers. In order to examine this issue empirically, we employ a unique data set on Internet use at the individual level in Canada from Media Metrix. Canada provides an ideal setting to examine this issue because English is one of the two official languages. Our preliminary results suggest that English web sites are not a barrier to Internet use for French-speaking Quebecois. These preliminary results are consistent with the scenario in which the Internet will promote English as a global language.
机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来，可能存在错误，请以论文正文为准。
