Poll: One world language?

[silasbufu]

That is never going to happen. I'd like to see you convince the Russians, French or Germans to speak another language than their own ( I know I'm stereotyping but it's mostly true ) .
Anyway just for the sake of it, English.

btw, wow someone actually voted for French

 

[rutger5000]

I like the idea of one language, but then again I don't give a crap about national identity and stuff. Many people try to protect dying language because it's part of their 'heritage'. Well I'm the kind of person who thinks the world would be a better place if it would be one gigantic country, and we all share the same culture/heritage. Simply said cultural diversity is not good. Sp I think that we all should learn one language., I really don't care much what language it is, in my narrow mind English seems like the best candidate, but I'll be willing to learn any language on the world, if it were to become the world's language.

 

[z3rostr1fe]

Wish I could speak French, but English is the existing second language for most countries, so it may as well be the World Language.

 

[rutger5000]

That is actually a very good idea. It won't catch on, but it's very good never the less.

 

[Kortney]

It's never going to happen. Why? Because it doesn't have to. The system we have now works just fine.

 

[minarri]

Every language has a history and is rich in subtleties that are missing in other languages. I think we'd all lose a significant part of what makes us special if we committed to some "world language" idea.

 

[rutger5000]

I think that I have an interesting perspective on this matter, as a Dutch person who lives in Amsterdam. For we Dutch are most likely the people that care the least about their national identity. I seriously believe that the percentage of people who know our national anthem is bigger among immigrants, then among then the Dutch themselves.
Also Amsterdam is a very international city, for it has a big port making it a important trading city, and has prostitutes, weed and is just a beautiful city making it an important a important tourist city.
Because of these two aspects the people of Amsterdam understand that English is important, and they all speak it. In fact when I'm walking around the city center, and need to ask something I ask it in English. Why? Because the chance that you ask a Dutch person who can't speak English is way smaller then the chance that the person can't speak English (This is not an exaggeration, I've been to New York and I felt the average person in Amsterdam speaks better English, then the average person in New York ). It's not rare that two people have a conversation in English for a while, before they realize they are both Dutch.
So to sum it up, I feel that I'm living in a situation in which a foreign language is adopted as their own, and I see it's working well. So I'm cheering for one official international language that everybody speaks, and if people want they can also learn the language they feel close to.

 

[Astoria]

I'd say it won't happen but if it did it would most likely be english because it's already a combination of all the other languages and most contries teach it on some level.

 

[Xander_VJ]

I'm Spaniard, so yeah, I'm also a little annoyed for not seeing Spanish in the poll. I've seen your reasons for not putting it, tkioz, and... well... it just doesn't cut it.

Spanish is the second most spread language in the world, second only to English. In rough number, more people speaks Chinese, but that's because of China's insanely huge population. Even with that, Spanish would be in third position.

If you knew about that, there's no way in hell you would have skipped it. That's just plain ignorance. I don't mean to be offensive, but I can't use a softer word. For this situation, it just doesn't exist.

In any case, English is definitely the language with more options for the international language. It already is to some degree. In this globalized world, you need it as second language, minimum.

And it is easy to learn. I've studied French, German and Japanese, and English is objectively easier than all of them. Hell, it's probably the easiest language in the First World. Even though phonetics and spelling can be a pain, the grammar is way simpler, and you can make yourself understood with more ease than in other languages.

In Spanish phonetics and spelling don't put any problem at all, since every letter has a single sound which is virtually unchanged regardless of how the word is written. But grammar is way too complex and deep. Specially verbs can be REALLY tough. Even when I was at school there were students who had a hard time learning all the conjugations. And I'm talking about native speakers.

In any case, every single language on Earth has its unique beauty. You can like some language better than others, but every single one of them has characteristics you won't find in any other. And every language can give beautiful texts if you use it right.

So I think that everyone should at least try to learn two languages minimum. One of them English for pragmatic reasons, and of course, master his/her own native language.

And for native English speakers... don't be lazy and try to learn a second language already. lol

 

[Caspertjuhh]

I am from Holland.

I think that English will be the main buisness language, but I do not think that all individual languages will die. The dutch will keep talking dutch, but English will be the trade language.

 

[Offworlder_v1legacy]

I don't believe there should be a world language. It kills culture and heritage, two things which are fading in the world.

 

[VampiresDontSparkle]

There will never be one world language.

 

[GrinningManiac]

Hindi

It's an up-and-coming superpower in direct competition with China

HOWEVER, China's One Child policy is leaving it with a slowly declining workforce. Their entire economy is built on cheap manual labour and manufactoring (as opposed to India's outsourcing and officework) and without a constant workforce, it's going to degrade

India, on the other hand, is suffering in the manufactoring market because it's focused on outsourcing international officework (callcentres are the infamous example)

Now, India has over 300 "official languages" and not a single "national language" (the Indian constitution (longest constitution in the world, too) aimed to phase out English, the colonial language, over 40 years, but was WRITTEN IN ENGLISH)

Nevertheless, Hindi is a majority language in the ...ahem..."important" places (New Delhi)

Also, I speak a little, and I'll be DAMNED if it goes to waste when we all learn Mandarin. It's bloody hard, mandarin!

Ni Hao ma?

Hindi sounds nicer

"Namaste, aap ka nama kya hai?"

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'd suggest that we could probably drop to maybe 5 or so world languages, but then we'd hit too many barriers.

After all, once you've counted up the English, Spanish, Mandarin, Hindi and a couple more 'big' languages, I imagine you've covered 90% of the world.

 

[Mr. Google]

one world language!? then how am i supposed to swear at my teacher with out them knowing!

 

[saruman31]

Latin.
No, just kidding. English is already the "world`s language".

If the Chinese would win USA in a war we would all be speaking it now.

Disclaimer: I`m none of the stated above.

 

[WakeTheDead1]

spanish being third most popular language in the world after english and chinese should be up there

 

[Blunderman]

I'm Spaniard, so yeah, I'm also a little annoyed for not seeing Spanish in the poll. I've seen your reasons for not putting it, tkioz, and... well... it just doesn't cut it.

Spanish is the second most spread language in the world, second only to English. In rough number, more people speaks Chinese, but that's because of China's insanely huge population. Even with that, Spanish would be in third position.

If you knew about that, there's no way in hell you would have skipped it. That's just plain ignorance. I don't mean to be offensive, but I can't use a softer word. For this situation, it just doesn't exist.

How many people speak a language isn't the point. It's far more important how wide-spread a language is, and English beats all others hands down. Spanish isn't a worthy contender.

The poll itself is rather stupid. English already is the global language. Barring world conquest by a totalitarian ideology, for instance North Korea or Islam, English will succeed all other languages in time.

In any case, every single language on Earth has its unique beauty. You can like some language better than others, but every single one of them has characteristics you won't find in any other. And every language can give beautiful texts if you use it right.

Cosmetic reasons will be completely crushed by practical ones. Any inherent beauty is irrelevant in comparison to pragmatism.

 

[slightly evil]

Gary?
Gaaaarry!
GARRYYY!!
(sorry, i read it as'one word language')

 

[imnot]

English that way I dont have to learn french.