Worldwide Common Language

[Audie]

And English is remarkably close to being a universal language. That may change as the US loses some of its influence. Perhaps Mandarin will replace it.

Mandarin is too difficult

 

[Audie]

For starters, we shouldn't need a pronunciation guide in the dictionary. The sounds should have consistent spellings. We'll need a Spelling Czar to invent and enforce Simple Spelling.

Bring Mao back to do for Engrish what he did for Mandarin.

 

[Audie]

A good start!

It is designed to be easy for Europeans; but for some reason it has not taken off despite being around for a century and a half There is not a lot of literature in it. It wasn't offered in my schools. I like that it doesn't require memorizing le and la forms for every noun, but Russian also has that feature as do several other languages.

I mean its great that its easy, but not many people use it. If that never changes then it can't be the worldwide language.



Unfortunately a lot of people hate English. Many learn it, because its required for business. They don't learn it well usually and prefer some sort of a creole. The spelling is challenging, and native speakers are picky. Its hard to speak without an accent. Maybe this is why it hasn't caught on everywhere? Look at all the Spanish speaking people in the USA. They haven't learned English. Why? They must not like it. Like many other languages it seems like it can't fill the bill for a permanent worldwide language.

Let them hate English. Dr Darwin explained how
that will turn out.

 

[dianaiad]

Not everybody flies, and lots of people don't know English.
We have plenty of snooty stuff. The language is popular because of recent world History, but you know what French was just as popular not too long ago. Before that Spanish was very popular. Latin is huge. Arabic variants are everywhere. We've got whole continents where English is not the daily language. Just because English is currently widely spoken doesn't mean its the ultimate worldwide language -- one that will stick. Anyway maybe we don't need a worldwide language.


English is perfect if we already speak it.

English is 'perfect' if we don't. At least, for this purpose. It is by no means the most logical, the most pleasant to listen to (in fact, I'm told that it's an unpleasant language upon the ear, especially compared with almost any other language). it's not the easiest language to learn. In fact, I've been told also that English is the most difficult language to learn. I wouldn't know, of course, because English (American English) is my 'native' language.

I believe that English is the most likely language to be 'world wide,' not because it is beautiful or logical, but boiled down?

For two reasons.

It already is a world wide language. Yeah, Mandarin Chinese is spoken by more people...but it is confined mostly to the people of China and is not used very much in cross-border interactions, whereas English is. Rather like Latin used to be.

Unlike Latin and other more 'acceptable' languages (prettier ones, more logically constructed, etc. which most are, in point of fact) English not only can change and add vocabulary, English speakers actively look for new vocabulary. What makes English the most likely language for the spot of "Worldwide common language" isn't that it is a beautiful language (though I am fascinated by it, love it, and embrace all its oddities myself), or that it is any way 'pure..." it's...

Well, James Nicoll said it quite well:

“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”

When it comes right down to it, speakers of English are actually speaking almost every other language there is. Certainly, unlike any other language on the planet at the moment, one is more likely to find words from one's own native tongue in it than anywhere else except one's own native tongue.

As for me? Well, I'm multi-lingual. I speak and read old English, middle English, modern English and contemporary English. I read Beowulf for the jokes.

It's not that I think English is superior to all other languages. Most are much easier on the ear and a heck of a lot easier to figure out in terms of grammar. I don't think English SHOULD BE the worlds 'common language.' I think it is/will be....because it is so willing to swallow up all the others, 'mugging them" for new vocabulary. English is about the only language out there which, if one cannot find the precise word to express meaning, will go out and find the right one in some other language, and just plug it in.

 

[Brickjectivity]

English is 'perfect' if we don't. At least, for this purpose. It is by no means the most logical, the most pleasant to listen to (in fact, I'm told that it's an unpleasant language upon the ear, especially compared with almost any other language). it's not the easiest language to learn. In fact, I've been told also that English is the most difficult language to learn. I wouldn't know, of course, because English (American English) is my 'native' language.

I believe that English is the most likely language to be 'world wide,' not because it is beautiful or logical, but boiled down?

For two reasons.

It already is a world wide language. Yeah, Mandarin Chinese is spoken by more people...but it is confined mostly to the people of China and is not used very much in cross-border interactions, whereas English is. Rather like Latin used to be.

Unlike Latin and other more 'acceptable' languages (prettier ones, more logically constructed, etc. which most are, in point of fact) English not only can change and add vocabulary, English speakers actively look for new vocabulary. What makes English the most likely language for the spot of "Worldwide common language" isn't that it is a beautiful language (though I am fascinated by it, love it, and embrace all its oddities myself), or that it is any way 'pure..." it's...

Well, James Nicoll said it quite well:

“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”

When it comes right down to it, speakers of English are actually speaking almost every other language there is. Certainly, unlike any other language on the planet at the moment, one is more likely to find words from one's own native tongue in it than anywhere else except one's own native tongue.

As for me? Well, I'm multi-lingual. I speak and read old English, middle English, modern English and contemporary English. I read Beowulf for the jokes.

It's not that I think English is superior to all other languages. Most are much easier on the ear and a heck of a lot easier to figure out in terms of grammar. I don't think English SHOULD BE the worlds 'common language.' I think it is/will be....because it is so willing to swallow up all the others, 'mugging them" for new vocabulary. English is about the only language out there which, if one cannot find the precise word to express meaning, will go out and find the right one in some other language, and just plug it in.

Modular? Hebrew is like that, not that I am at all able to communicate in it. I don't know about many languages, but it doesn't sound difficult to adapt other words. Don't the French do it, too?

 

[dianaiad]

Modular? Hebrew is like that, not that I am at all able to communicate in it. I don't know about many languages, but it doesn't sound difficult to adapt other words. Don't the French do it, too?

Not if the committee that is in charge of keeping French 'pure' has anything to say about it, no....and there really is such a committee: the Académie française. Oh, and the Hebrew version is: Academy of the Hebrew Language (האקדמיה ללשון העברית)

In fact, almost every language in the world has such a regulating group...except English. It's one of the things I like most about it.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Not if the committee that is in charge of keeping French 'pure' has anything to say about it, no....and there really is such a committee: the Académie française. Oh, and the Hebrew version is: Academy of the Hebrew Language (האקדמיה ללשון העברית)

In fact, almost every language in the world has such a regulating group...except English. It's one of the things I like most about it.

So...how come I'm not allowed to say "Ain't" ?

 

[ChristineM]

Really! See German Cosst Guard Trainee on youtube

No need, i have been chatting to a german friend this morning. Interesting conversation that was a mix of french, german and english.

So perhaps that's an answer for @Brickjectivity. a common language would need to ta elements from many languages

 

[ChristineM]

So...how come I'm not allowed to say "Ain't" ?

Ain't ya?

 

[ChristineM]

Not if the committee that is in charge of keeping French 'pure' has anything to say about it, no....and there really is such a committee: the Académie française. Oh, and the Hebrew version is: Academy of the Hebrew Language (האקדמיה ללשון העברית)

In fact, almost every language in the world has such a regulating group...except English. It's one of the things I like most about it.

As they say in french, (approved by Le Académie française)

Bon weekend

 

[Audie]

No need, i have been chatting to a german friend this morning. Interesting conversation that was a mix of french, german and english.

So perhaps that's an answer for @Brickjectivity. a common language would need to ta elements from many languages

Watch it anyway, it is short and funny.

 

[Audie]

So...how come I'm not allowed to say "Ain't" ?

Try being a child of my mom, and say either "How come" or, "ain'r".

 

[Shaul]

A good start!

It is designed to be easy for Europeans; but for some reason it has not taken off despite being around for a century and a half There is not a lot of literature in it. It wasn't offered in my schools. I like that it doesn't require memorizing le and la forms for every noun, but Russian also has that feature as do several other languages.

I mean its great that its easy, but not many people use it. If that never changes then it can't be the worldwide language.



Unfortunately a lot of people hate English. Many learn it, because its required for business. They don't learn it well usually and prefer some sort of a creole. The spelling is challenging, and native speakers are picky. Its hard to speak without an accent. Maybe this is why it hasn't caught on everywhere? Look at all the Spanish speaking people in the USA. They haven't learned English. Why? They must not like it. Like many other languages it seems like it can't fill the bill for a permanent worldwide language.

What are you talking about? Russian has masculine and feminine declensions with differentiations of pronouns for each. In addition it has the dative case which is somewhat uncommon among languages.

 

[Shaul]

French has almost half a billion speakers, is really quite easy for english speakers considering over 40,000 english words are french or derived from french.

When the NY times regularly uses less than 1000 words in its publication you can be quite confident that you already know enough french to communicate.

Assuming of course you learn the basic inflection first and can speak through your nose

As for pronunciation, try it with a Lancashire accent

Your numbers are off. There are only about 280 million speakers of French. There are almost that many speakers of Bengali, 260 million. There are twice as many speakers of Spanish at about 540 million. Plus Spanish is more widely spoken in the U.S. which is of some benefit.

 

[ChristineM]

Watch it anyway, it is short and funny.

Done that.

There used to be a program on TV when i was a kid, called "Allo, Allo"

Brit actors playing french, german, a couple of upper class brits and an italian in a french town during ww2.

Here is a couple of short clips

 

[ChristineM]

Your numbers are off. There are only about 280 million speakers of French. There are almost that many speakers of Bengali, 260 million. There are twice as many speakers of Spanish at about 540 million. Plus Spanish is more widely spoken in the U.S. which is of some benefit.

My error, that was supposed to be quarter of a billion.

Some benefit to the us for sure, unfortunately the us only amounts to about 5% of the world population.

 

[Shaul]

I agree the spoken language is easy. The concept of the Chinese letters is interesting, but nobody wants to learn pinyin. Its like tangerines versus oranges. "I will learn the second-best way to write Mandarin, so that I can almost say that I know Mandarin." Its like two stage language. When I think about learning Mandarin I want to skip the pinyin.

There are several disadvantages for Chinese be becoming a world standard language. One is that it isn’t one language, it is a family of languages, although Mandarin is preeminent. Two is that it is a tonal language. That makes it very difficult for non-Native speakers to learn. Consider how the word “ba” can have four different meanings depending on its inflection. Then there it’s use of pictographic form of writing. While pictographs have nice features, ease of use and learning is not its best suit.

There are sound reasons why English is the globally dominant language of commerce instead of Chinese.

 

[ChristineM]

There are several disadvantages for Chinese be becoming a world standard language. One is that it isn’t one language, it is a family of languages, although Mandarin is preeminent. Two is that it is a tonal language. That makes it very difficult for non-Native speakers to learn. Consider how the word “ba” can have four different meanings depending on its inflection. Then there it’s use of pictographic form of writing. While pictographs have nice features, ease of use and learning is not its best suit.

There are sound reasons why English is the globally dominant language of commerce instead of Chinese.

Whereas in english it is so easy two give instructions too understand directions there destination for they're brake and where they can post their male.

No confusion at all

 

[Brickjectivity]

What are you talking about? Russian has masculine and feminine declensions with differentiations of pronouns for each. In addition it has the dative case which is somewhat uncommon among languages.

I spoke in ignorance.

There are several disadvantages for Chinese be becoming a world standard language. One is that it isn’t one language, it is a family of languages, although Mandarin is preeminent. Two is that it is a tonal language. That makes it very difficult for non-Native speakers to learn. Consider how the word “ba” can have four different meanings depending on its inflection. Then there it’s use of pictographic form of writing. While pictographs have nice features, ease of use and learning is not its best suit.

There are sound reasons why English is the globally dominant language of commerce instead of Chinese.

'Sound' reasons? The spoken language is really not that hard with only 5 tones, and its easy to turn sentences into questions by just adding a word to the end. The Pictographs though seem to require a lot of additional effort. Some Chinese languages have a lot more tones -- up to thirteen; but Mandarin is not hard to hear. The writing is the hard part I think.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Try being a child of my mom, and say either "How come" or, "ain'r".

I know. My mom would have me replaced by a random child from the playground.