Universal Language

Okay, so, in my Japanese class at least every couple of weeks someone asks "Why can't everyone just speak English?", usually in a moment of frustration over something in a textbook or a new sentence pattern or something.

It's usually headed off by my teacher pretty quickly before we can get into a good discussion, but I was wondering what Mibbians thought.

Should there be a universal language?

Also, it's often argued that English is already kind of a universal language, but is this actually true? I know most people on Mibba speak English quite fluently, but when I was in Europe (Italy, France) at least 50% of the people I met couldn't really understand me. Is this a good or bad indication of how many people speak English in those countries?

So yeah. Should there be a universal language? And, if so, what language should it be?

I don't think so. Language is part of tradition and culture. It gives the country something of their own.

The English (and people who are English as their first language I suppose) are generally really lazy when it comes to languages I find.
A lot of people I've talked to about it don't bother learning another language because everyone else seems to be learning English, so why should they bother?

Having a universal language would be easier, but not as interesting. Like ChemicallyImbalanced said, it's part of tradition and culture.

Because English is blah... compared to Romantic languages it's just flat, closed and ugly.

English is the main international-circulation language nowadays. Greek was the main language until the Roman Empire conquered Greece, then Latin was until around 1700, then French during the Napoleon-era, and now it's English because of the colonial empires. It's not an universal language, just many people are forced to learn it.

Anyway I think it would be a great lost if everyone spoke the same language. There are words you can't really translate in other languages, and a language mirrors the culture and history of a country. I can't imagine losing the original version of Dante's Divina Commedia, or reading Borges in English.
People should just learn as many languages as they can.

But I would very much love it if Latin became a highly circulated language. :cute:

I don't think there should be one. Languages give the country their own little uniqueness, it helps preserve culture and their history in some way. It makes the world more interesting with all the different ways in which people speak to each other. A universal language would be boring if you ask me.

And as for which language would it be if there was one, I don't think it should be English. I mean yeah, it would be easier for me because I'm English, but it is just such a boring language compared to other languages! And, I don't know if this is true seem as I haven't tried to learn every single language there is, but don't people always say that English is one of the hardest languages there is? Or was that something they used to tell us in primary school... But if it is then it would be pretty cruel to make everyone learn it.

I think a lot of people know English because it's just easier and it'll probably give you an advantage above others that can't speak it.

But that's just what I think.

I think English should become the universal language, should one be needed.

I have no grounds for saying this, other than the fact I can't be bothered to learn other languages. However, I also feel this is the same for millions of other people around the english speaking world. Pathetic, I know.

Most of the websites I see are in English, however some do have translations. And where I've travelled around the world, there's always been stuff in English.

>_> English should be a unviersal language 'cause c'mon! Almost everyone knows how to speak in English.

When you speak in other language, what do people tell you?
Please speak in English

Other people think it's plain just because you already know how to speak in English. When I was a kid and I learned how to use the English language, I really find it... nice.

~*~

:coffee: A lot of people have told... me and other people that Tagalog is the easiest language to be learned. :XD

That might help. :tehe: I mean, I would love my language to be a universal language but... nah. Impossible. :XD

Actually Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world. Spanish comes second, and English is barely third.
:cute:

^ Reallly!? Wow, that's interesting. I always assumed English was the most widely spoken but maybe that's expected since I live in England -shrug-

Noooo I am not a supporter of the idea of an universal language.
I love speaking and learning languages so If there were just one lanuage, I would be bored.
And beside... we would loose so much tradition because then all the dialects would be gone too. *grabs a hold of her swiss german dialect and kisses it*

Like others have said before, having a universal language would make things quite easier. But then again, the different languages is cool. But having a universal language probably will never happen in this world, and it'd be really hard to even make happen.

I mean, how can you tell an entire group of people they can only speak one language and that language only!?

^ No kidding. Imagine if an 80-year-old woman were sitting there, knowing, like, French all of her life, and was forced to learn and use only, say, Japanese or something. And all of her family, who would have also known French of of their lives, would have to do the same thing. No way, it just wouldn't work.

The world would be rather boring if there was only one language. I think it is fascinating to hear others speak their native tongue. Like "So Wrong It's Haley." said, you cannot just tell people to get up and learn another language.

Plus, I would be super sad if accents ever went away.

If there was a universal language it should be either English or Spanish. There shouldn't be just one but it would be easier to comunicate in other countries.

Could you have a universal language for business and international affairs, and then learn new ones as a personal choice?

So, for example, all trade is conducted in Mandarin, and then you can learn as many extra languages as you want.

Would that be pointless?

Emily.:

Could you have a universal language for business and international affairs, and then learn new ones as a personal choice?

So, for example, all trade is conducted in Mandarin, and then you can learn as many extra languages as you want.

Would that be pointless?

I still don't think that would be a very good idea. I mean, yes it would be a lot easier because you wouldn't have to have like translators and stuff but isn't it fine how it is now?

I don't think it would be pointless, it would save a lot of trouble after every one's learnt it but wouldn't it still make it boring if everyone spoke the same language unless they had taken the time to learn a new one? And lets face it, in, say, ten years time there would pretty much only be Mandarin spoken seem as how lazy man is. There would probably only be the people who were forced by their parents to learn another one able to speak in a different language.

I think that would give kids even less reason to give a damn about their culture and other cultures around the world too.

Oh wait, did you mean like, everyone spoke Mandarin or just people in international affairs?

Jojo:

Other people think it's plain just because you already know how to speak in English.

Oh yeah, I didn't look at it that way.

I wonder if the French think English is really poetic and that their language is dull.

Beau Albert:

I still don't think that would be a very good idea. I mean, yes it would be a lot easier because you wouldn't have to have like translators and stuff but isn't it fine how it is now?

I don't think it would be pointless, it would save a lot of trouble after every one's learnt it but wouldn't it still make it boring if everyone spoke the same language unless they had taken the time to learn a new one? And lets face it, in, say, ten years time there would pretty much only be Mandarin spoken seem as how lazy man is. There would probably only be the people who were forced by their parents to learn another one able to speak in a different language.

I think that would give kids even less reason to give a damn about their culture and other cultures around the world too.

Oh wait, did you mean like, everyone spoke Mandarin or just people in international affairs?

I meant everyone, but I guess you could have just people involved in international affairs.
'Cause like, if you go for a job interview and you're bilingual, in most jobs (especially 'adult' jobs, like businessy things not porn) you've already had a big step up. It's a good skill to have, speaking two languages - opens up heaps more opportunities. But that's kind of unfair for people who didn't learn another language as a kid, because it's much easier to learn a new language as a child than as an adult. So because their parents or their school didn't force them to take a language, they can't get a certain job? That's unfair, in my opinion at least.
Everyone speaking the same language would make that more fair - being bilingual might give you some advantage, but definitely not as much, because everyone'd be able to understand both applicants.

And I still think some people would go and learn new languages; I know Andy knows about five. (Sorry Andy, I'm using you as my example :tehe:) Surely not all five were required just to be understood, and surely not all five are widely used where she lives. She would have learnt at least some by choice.

Emily.:

I meant everyone, but I guess you could have just people involved in international affairs.
'Cause like, if you go for a job interview and you're bilingual, in most jobs (especially 'adult' jobs, like businessy things not porn) you've already had a big step up. It's a good skill to have, speaking two languages - opens up heaps more opportunities. But that's kind of unfair for people who didn't learn another language as a kid, because it's much easier to learn a new language as a child than as an adult. So because their parents or their school didn't force them to take a language, they can't get a certain job? That's unfair, in my opinion at least.
Everyone speaking the same language would make that more fair - being bilingual might give you some advantage, but definitely not as much, because everyone'd be able to understand both applicants.

Yeah, It is unfair, but I guess it's just life to miss out on a something fabulous because you weren't given the same opportunities. To make there be a universal language would change that, but then that would take out the challenge and when you succeeded would it feel as good as it did before? Wouldn't that just make things less interesting?

It'd take the depth of things away. (If that makes sense...)

Emily.:

And I still think some people would go and learn new languages; I know Andy knows about five. (Sorry Andy, I'm using you as my example :tehe:) Surely not all five were required just to be understood, and surely not all five are widely used where she lives. She would have learnt at least some by choice.

But why did she learn them? Just to be able to speak the language? To get an advantage? If there was an universal language then there wouldn't need to be different languages learnt because all the advantages that came along with them wouldn't be advantages anymore. If there was no need to learn the language other than to preserve the culture and history then a lot of people wouldn't bother.

Yeah, there would still be people that learnt different languages but as time goes on that number would probably go down and down.

Or maybe I'm not having enough faith in Man?
Maybe there would still be a large variety of languages learnt and spoken?
I mean, it wouldn't be illegal after all...

Beau Albert:

Yeah, It is unfair, but I guess it's just life to miss out on a something fabulous because you weren't given the same opportunities. To make there be a universal language would change that, but then that would take out the challenge and when you succeeded would it feel as good as it did before? Wouldn't that just make things less interesting?

It'd take the depth of things away. (If that makes sense...)

But by having a universal language, you could get rid of some of the unfairness.

I go to a private school. Some people would say I have a better chance of getting the job I want with the school's name on my resume. That's 'just life'.
But if you had the opportunity to bring the public system to the same 'level' of the private, in both prestige and I guess quality (though I'm not an expert on this topic), you would, right?

You'd basically be evening out the systems. People with more money would get no advantage over people with less. If it meant the abolishment of private schools, so be it. As long as everyone's getting a good education, it's fine.

A universal language would even out the system - everyone would have a pretty even chance of getting a job in that particular part of their qualifications.

Beau Albert:

But why did she learn them? Just to be able to speak the language? To get an advantage? If there was an universal language then there wouldn't need to be different languages learnt because all the advantages that came along with them wouldn't be advantages anymore. If there was no need to learn the language other than to preserve the culture and history then a lot of people wouldn't bother.

Yeah, there would still be people that learnt different languages but as time goes on that number would probably go down and down.

It would, as we've seen with the decline of Latin and other archaic languages.
But the world is moving forward - history is great, my favourite school subject, but is the future not more important?

And as for why she's learnt them, I think just an interest in languages, though you'd have to ask her to be sure. Should people be forced to learn a language just to get the 'advantages' that come with it? Why can't people just learn them because they like the cultural and historical aspects?