Too Many Languages!

[Azeban]

So I've been thinking recently about how much of a stereotypical ignorant American I am, knowing only one language, with the exception of knowing simple phrases of Spanish.

Does anyone else besides me believe that the world should just switch to one official language? It seems awfully inefficient to have to learn how to express the same concept in multiple ways. I wouldn't even care if it wasn't English, because I recognize that many more people speak Mandarin.

What language would you vote to be the world's official UN-sanctioned language? An existing one or a new one? Would this be a good thing, or a major loss to culture? Why? (I've heard the major loss to culture as reason against this idea before, but it has never been explained what makes losing a language so culturally devastating.)

 

[new_age_reject]

NO man, it's like the whole money thing in Europe, switching to Euros.
I think that it destroys part of the culture of the country, it helps give some people a cultural identity and it removes some of that individuality that makes the world such a vast and interesting place.
Whilst it does make communication and trade a lot more difficult than it needs to be, I don't believe in a universal language or currency as long as they were accepted alongside the current systems in place.
I personally being an ignorant Brit would love to delve deeper into my Italian heritage and learn some of the language.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

There are some problems with one language. It would be the first domino in the line that leads us into one unified world in peace and harmony that goes out and sings kumbaya. No politician genuinely wants that.Another problem is when the decision to do so is made, what language would it be? English? German? Countries all over the world would fight over to the brink of war.

 

[Drunken Jedi]

It would be a horrible idea to get rid of all languages but one, simply because every language mirrors a particular way of thinking, and if you streamline all people into speaking one language, you are also streamlining all people to think in a similar way, which is obviously bad.

And losing a language also means losing a lot of culture, especially where literature is concerned. Sure, you can translate things, but it's never going to be nearly as good as the original.

 

[NeedAUserName]

I'm caught in the middle. As I know there would be big advantages to everyone speaking the same language (which I would opt to be either a blend of all current ones, a brand new one, or an ancient and unused one).

But at the same time, I think that if we all spoke the same language, and used the same currency, then most of the appeal (at least in my opinion) of going abroad are gone. As apart from anything else, I find using a completely new language, and using foreign currency too be a big part of holidaying abroad.

 

[EchetusXe]

Everyone should learn English and then forget about every other language. Its the easiest solution, for me at least.

 

[Azeban]

It would be a horrible idea to get rid of all languages but one, simply because every language mirrors a particular way of thinking, and if you streamline all people into speaking one language, you are also streamlining all people to think in a similar way, which is obviously bad.

And losing a language also means losing a lot of culture, especially where literature is concerned. Sure, you can translate things, but it's never going to be nearly as good as the original.

I don't really believe the whole language effects thought thing. There has been no idea that I have come up with that I couldn't find words to elaborate it with.

Also, foreign literature is only good as the original for the people who know the language from birth. Sure, you can learn another language, but you're just translating it in your mind.

Think of all the new ideas we could share if everyone spoke the same language. These ideas wouldn't be lost, just assimilated.

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

I agree, why the crap do we need tons of languages. Even though I'm American I wouldn't give a crap if it was any world language. Although the Tower of Babel was serious business, don't want no Sodom and Gomorrah on my ass.

 

[Alkarin]

ive had this discussion on a different forum and our descision was this.

Make the universal language Old Latin(IE:ROMAN)
ket countries still be able to use their language but it is highly unreccomended.

latin works because no country uses the language and altogether its just an awsome language. so EVERYONE has to learn a new language and not ''Well the world has decided the German language is better than yours so...''


I personally find the 'NO IT GETS RID OF OUR CULTURE' argument bollocks. your human, thats your culture. now stop acting like a caveman and embrace your fellow man

 

[Azeban]

ive had this discussion on a different forum and our descision was this.

Make the universal language Old Latin(IE:ROMAN)
ket countries still be able to use their language but it is highly unreccomended.

latin works because no country uses the language and altogether its just an awsome language. so EVERYONE has to learn a new language and not ''Well the world has decided the German language is better than yours so...''


I personally find the 'NO IT GETS RID OF OUR CULTURE' argument bollocks. your human, thats your culture. now stop acting like a caveman and embrace your fellow man

I was going to suggest Latin, but I don't know if the old girl is up to it. We'd have to invent so many new words to modernize it.

If anything, this would spread the culture. If everyone speaks the same language, concepts from older languages could be spread much more easily.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

If anything, high and low Gothic languages.

 

[takagi]

It would be a horrible idea to get rid of all languages but one, simply because every language mirrors a particular way of thinking, and if you streamline all people into speaking one language, you are also streamlining all people to think in a similar way, which is obviously bad.

And losing a language also means losing a lot of culture, especially where literature is concerned. Sure, you can translate things, but it's never going to be nearly as good as the original.

I don't really believe the whole language effects thought thing. There has been no idea that I have come up with that I couldn't find words to elaborate it with.

Also, foreign literature is only good as the original for the people who know the language from birth. Sure, you can learn another language, but you're just translating it in your mind.

Think of all the new ideas we could share if everyone spoke the same language. These ideas wouldn't be lost, just assimilated.

I believe there was one fairly controversial study that showed that people who spoke gendered languages (like Spanish or German) had a different thought process or way of thinking than people who spoke in a neuter language (in the study, English)....

Really, what's wrong with all the different languages that we have? That's what we have translators for.

 

[Twilight_guy]

The Borg appreciate your suggestion. Your assimilation will be quick and painless.

Really though, it would be useful in helping everyone to communicate, but it would stifle cultural identity associated with language. Also, World War 3 and 4 would be fought over which language would be the one to rule them all.

 

[Alkarin]

It would be a horrible idea to get rid of all languages but one, simply because every language mirrors a particular way of thinking, and if you streamline all people into speaking one language, you are also streamlining all people to think in a similar way, which is obviously bad.

And losing a language also means losing a lot of culture, especially where literature is concerned. Sure, you can translate things, but it's never going to be nearly as good as the original.

I don't really believe the whole language effects thought thing. There has been no idea that I have come up with that I couldn't find words to elaborate it with.

Also, foreign literature is only good as the original for the people who know the language from birth. Sure, you can learn another language, but you're just translating it in your mind.

Think of all the new ideas we could share if everyone spoke the same language. These ideas wouldn't be lost, just assimilated.

I believe there was one fairly controversial study that showed that people who spoke gendered languages (like Spanish or German) had a different thought process or way of thinking than people who spoke in a neuter language (in the study, English)....

Really, what's wrong with all the different languages that we have? That's what we have translators for.

well in german they have a word for '2 beers' which obviously means they think beer is more important than to other countries!

 

[Marv21]

Yea we do need an offically recognized Language.
So I reccomend Newspeak Its Doubleplusgood!

However Latin or AMERICAN, might be good langauges to learn, but we do agree that a universal langauge needs to be learned. It could be taught in a schools from a set generation.

 

[Alkarin]

American? that's not a language. unless your referring to the idea of 'we can't properly use English'

 

[Azeban]

American? that's not a language. unless your referring to the idea of 'we can't properly use English'

Bah, we adapted English to be much more useful. Think of all the superfluous U's we save in ink as a country every year.

 

[naftali1]

(I've heard the major loss to culture as reason against this idea before, but it has never been explained what makes losing a language so culturally devastating.)

Losing a language could be religiously devastating more than culturally. For example, if Hebrew was lost there is no way to study the Torah because a Torah scroll has to be written in Hebrew.

Sure there are translated copies, but they lose a lot of meaning in translation. Each letter has it's own spiritual meaning that is lost.