Imagine there are no languages...
 

What do you think about the idea of a universal language? Can you imagine what it would be like if all the people in the world spoke the same language? Would you like something like that to happen? Do you think it will ever happen? Which language do you think will be "picked"?

I also have this thread in my forum, but I would like to hear opinions from people all over the world and this is the only international board I write often.
Most greeks btw are againist it, especially the younger ones.. :( :(

I think it will be one of the best moves humanity could ever make. It would solve some great problems that now exist. Can you imagine being able to understand everyone as good as you understand people from your country? It would be awsome! I also believe that if a language was to be picked it would most likely be english. Alternatively spanish or chinese. I think it will happen sometime, even if it will be in 10.000 years :)

i'm native french speaking, but use english all the time for work... i'm also fluent in some other languages like PHP,. ;)

i'm waiting for the StarTrek movement to become reality... one language, one people, one effort to follow the Prime Directive...

i'm french user of vBulletin, but your idea of universal language is good.
But not practicable to my opinion :(

It's good that french people so far like the idea! I thought that french people would never like something like that :D

There is much apprehension on French User, it is a pity :(

No apprehension :)
Just rumors :p

by experience, French people are arch to be forced to be assimilated, like anybody else...

the point is that an universal language would not be forced to be english... btw, english is based on many languages, as english was built from conquers and parts of the words in english are no longer from the original source of english, but taken from all the other languages... we can count more than 500 usual words in english that are french... same for any other language btw...

the only problem we have with a single universal language is not the difference of speakings on the europe and americas... but the Asian part... half of the planet talk chinese, and they don't even try to learn english or change their language so it is easier to understand... we face a two languages-universal situation... like ISO and UTF.. lol

Even a two languages-universal situation would be a good step as most people don't find it too hard to learn another language :)

That is also one of my dreams but it is pratically too hard to do. Language also representes countries culture. Because of this it will be pratically so hard to do.

I think music is the major key for this dream. For example in Eoruvision lots of countries are attending with English songs. Sertap Erener won Eurovsion with an English song. Even before the contest began lots of people in Turkey was complaining about why the song is in English. But even people who doesn't know any foreign language listen music and they try to sing :)

By the way i liked this thread and if you don't mind i want to open a similar thread at my board.

a universal language is not complicated to apply... 2 generations and that's it... in 50 years everybody speak klingon...

Of course I don't mind :)
Please tell us what they thought of the idea! I'm really curious of what my neighbors think of it :)

omg, i've learned romulan!

i knew it, you're always aside of the track...

anyway, we will give you an inter-language communicator... built from IPB code!

that's nice :)

this is pointless as its never going to happen,the whole world would have to agree for a start im sure theres 1 or 2 that won t like the idea...lol

As long as it doesn't require me to learn another language.

There is a movement like that already named Esperanto that originated in Europe and sponsored by the UN. That new language is spoken by millions and is mainly phonetic.

I too speak French as primary language. But why do we have to use two paragraphs for what can be said in one sentence in English? If the Indians were French, they would have burned down entire forests to send smoke signals. :rolleyes:

I'm all for it as long as it's English :banana: ...if not, forget it!

est bonne celle l?... mdr

ok, let's see if the mohawks are able to understand this one.. lol

and yes Esperanto was a good start, but the UN was not really into it, so they are not making it a real challenge... and the language is more like the Nostradamus strange language..lol

all I learn was how to say mia nomo esta redspider. :)

I can speak anything as long as I know what you want me to speak and you don't mind the strange way that online translators phrase things.

Other than that, I'm happy with English (the Queen's one), English (the American approximation of), Geordie, Scouse, Maccum, Glaswegian, Boltonion, Mancunian, and Lancashire Dialect.

Exactly the same thing with greek Lionel!!!

nufc fan it will happen gradually, not from one day to another ;) And I believe it IS going to happen ;)

Les francais sont r?put?s pour leur humours :D

lol Lionel ;)

nope, it won't happen.

there is a reason why there are different languages, these are a part of someones personality and vice versa.

Of course it could happen to get one worldwide official language once, the internet is the best way to achieve this, but that won't eliminate native languages.

[Geek Mode]Star Trek doesn't have one language but rather a Universal Translator (UT) that allows them to understand each other. All members of the Federation (the Trek version of the UN) share the technology and use it and that's why when dealing with a 'first contact' situation sometimes you'll see the UT not being able to do a translation.[/Geek Mode]

We're not there yet but getting close with gizmos like this...

http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/...lateims_1.html :ninja:

I think the human race will countine to fight amoung each other until some UFOs land hell bent on taking the planet from us. Around that time the world leaders will start telling everyone how we need to bond togther and take up arms.

If we don't die in the war, and manage to win it without killing ourselves in the aftermath, maybe your dreams will come true.

Indeed - A Universal Translator is used in Star Trek, but I think you'll find that in the later years of the Federation, most Federation officers and servicemen speak and learn in English ;)

The idea of a Universal Language is a good one, but the idea is impractical while there are diversities which cause things like September 11th or the London bombings of last year...

Maybe in a couple of decades time...

Chris

Did you know that london spoke french for atleast 600 years :)

@Chris: nope, everyone in StarTrek speaks german here :p

They say that one's ideas are limited only to the ability of the individual's native languages to render those ideas into comprehensible thoughts.

No, I would not want a universal native language. There are some words that cannot be expressed in every language. Luckily, other languages make up for those shortcomings. If there were only one universal language, a part of our collective human emotion will be eliminated.

I hate it for the guy that had to dub Kirk.

Je parle francais en petit peu.
Ik spreek Nederlands en ik heb ook in Nederland geleefd.
I speak American English as well - not very good at British English.

you mean: un petit peu. ;)

Language is the result of culture and existance. To simplify everything down to one language would hurt the world in the bringing forth of new ideas and cultural inheritance in my opinion.

Many smaller cultures are already losing their identity and focus due to outside forces, this would only speed that up and we would lose great resources.

Yeah, I never said I spoke it well :P

Yep, le francais est un langue difficile a apprendre d'apr?s certain :devious:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yep, French is one language difficult to learn according to some :devious:

If we ignore the fact the this is as practicable as is possible, I think the idea would never be supported.
Michelle, take a look at the world and you will see more separatist movements than unifying ones. Right on your doorstep, what is happing in Macedonia and Albania? And Corsica, Basque country, N. Ireland, Scotland and even Wales? Spain is falling apart! Now that Catalonia will become independent, other provinces will soon follow.
And what's the strongest reason for these separatist movements? The realization by the individuals that their culture is unique and not a part of something else/bigger.
Ask any separatist and they will tell you "I'm not Greek/Spanish/French, I'm Macedonian/Basque/Corsican!"

I think Wayne Luke said almost everything. Language is not only a product of culture but also one of its strongest pillars. Language is also a key element in brain development and mental processes. That's why German people will always be excellent engineers but poor diplomats =)
When a language/culture is too much permeable to foreign influence, you start seeing signs of cultural degradation and weakening. Lost of examples in African countries or more recently Brazil, not to mention entire cultures totally erased/assimilated at even a faster pace like North American Indians for example.

So to answer the rest of your questions, a world where everyone would speak the same language would be as boring as warm non-alcoolic beer, enjoyed only by British chartered accountants as soon as they overcome the fact they were speaking Mandarin!
It would mean the end of "Kleftika", "na zdorovje" shouts across the table, cod fish for xmas and following Japanese tourist groups just for fun.

No thanks =)

I didn't have much trouble with it, but then again, I only took 3 1/2 years of it (2 1/2 in US and 1 year in Nederland)

They are essentially the same language - Most of what differs is just spelling ;)

Chris

Actually, that's what I thought too, until I took a course in English, while living in Europe. It took several weeks before I could bring my cijfer (grade) up from a 3-5 to at least a 7 (having the lowest grades in the class). One would think that they are the same, essentially, once you get past dialects, pronunciation, spelling, and usage. If I took English on the US grading scale, I would have flunked it.