A global language - pros and cons

[Mafdet]

There were a few attempts along the years to create a universal language that everybody would be able to learn so that we don't have to struggle with learning so many languages. What is your opinion on this and which are, in your opinion, the pros and cons?

[erikao1o]

It would definitely be helpful if there was a global language, it would be a lot easier for everyone to communicate with each other. Although it would be helpful, I don't think a global language will ever exist. People love their own languages too much, and languages are strongly linked to culture. I can't see people giving up their distinct cultures just to make communicating easier. I think that English is the closest we have to a global language at this point.

[songsing]

Yeah this would definitely make travel, etc. easier, but a lot of people feel as though their language is part of their culture. Also certain areas would be bound to create their own dialect of it anyway (sort of how like Northern/Southern US English, not to mention England's) so it probably wouldn't be practical

[wander_n_wonder]

The advantage is that communication will indeed be easier because everyone would understand each other.  There is no need to bring a translator when you travel to another country, for example. 

However, I really do not like that idea because somehow, language takes a good part of a country's culture.  Without a country's unique language, it will not be that interesting to me anymore.  It is nice to learn about a language as well as the history behind it. 

[Dora M]

I live near Papua New Guinea, an island that has around 830 indigenous languages. It is the most linguistically diverse country on the planet. For a place that is roughly as big as the state of California that is rather impressive. They have three official languages, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu, also known as Pidgin English, and English. I think this is a prime example that some "overall language" really makes life a lot easier.

[Emmanuel]

Much of cultural diversity is related to language. Lingual amalgamation has its advantages, but it's just another step in the direction of uniformity. I'd rather the world celebrate its diversity.

[CeliVega]

It sounds great, but I don't think the "higher-ups" are going to encourage something like that. Think about it, if there exists one language that everyone can understand, then sure, communicating will no longer be a problem for people from different countries, and going to foreign countries will be a lot easier as there's no need for translation of anything.

But......having something like this means the other languages will be rendered useless in the long run. What about the translators? The teachers? Businesses involving languages matters? A lot of people will be jobless if there's a language that everyone on Earth can understand.

[Denis Hard]

The main disadvantage of having ONE global language is that it'll create a feeling of 'oneness' which IMO is pretty bad. If the divisions that make us strive to be better than others are gone, then another problem would arise. The wealthy would literally take over the world and we'd have a repeat of what happened in France. A bloody revolution on a global scale.

I think it's better - - the lack of a global language should keep people from working together.

[g2narat]

Hmm, an interesting idea. But I think it would be impossible to implement. But hypothetically speaking, I think there would be more pros than cons. The only downside I can think of would be loss of a big part of any country's culture. The pros is that it would be much easier to communicate which would lead to more pros such as boost in tourism, less conflicts due to problems with communication, and easier trades between countries. So if it was doable, I'd definitely be for the idea.

[Gelsemium]

I think that a global language already exists and it's called English and this was only possible by use and not by law. English will spread more and more I believe.

[Baburra]

I think it would only happen if each individual country's government enforced it, but until then, we'll always have other languages. English is already present and available to use as a global language now, but not all countries use it, still, so I think a new global language isn't really entirely necessary but rather just support from the other countries and a decision to utilize it more prominently.

As for the pros and cons, I think it would pretty much be like as we are doing here now only on a larger scale, and whether that would be good or bad, I don't really know, but I'd lean towards it being more advantageous since we could learn from many more people than the current state. Granted, said people won't be forced to give up their own culture and language for the new global one, since that would eliminate the benefits that could be derived from it.

[fredkawig]

The pro's to this attempt would be, easier job access from one place to the other. The con's would be we would be creating a tower of babel once again since people would be too ambiguous to see that they are overtaken by pride.

[Bill Chapman]

I've been using Esperanto for many years and I recommend it. Esperanto was designed, not to replace national and other language, but to serve as a lingua franca for us all.

I hope you'll allow me to add that Esperanto celebrated its 125th anniversary a couple of years ago. That's quite an achievement for what started as the idea of just one man. It has survived wars and strikes and economic crises, and continues to attract young learners.

If you're interested in Esperanto, take a look at http://www.lernu.net

[kate23]

I think it would be useful for there to be a global language, a bit like how there's people in countries all over the planet that know English. Without English or another very common language it would make it hard to communicate.

So it definitely has its pros. The problem is if people become disinterested in their native languages. Some people would think what's the point, I only need to know one language now. That would be really sad, I hate when languages become rare or extinct. Some of my favorite languages are uncommon or rare.

However, in some countries, like Malaysia for instance, it's common for people to speak 3 or more languages (official language, ancestral language, other common languages spoken in that region) so I'm sure a lot of places would keep their languages.

[dorannmwin]

I really do think that it would be nice if there was a universal language so that you wouldn't have the communication barriers that are so often faced. However, I don't think that this is something that could ever really happen. The reason that I feel that way is that there are still a lot of people in this world that are quite isolated and it would be very difficult to integrate those people into something like that.

[Kandikkal]

I think English is already a global language. It helps in online interactions a lot. I cannot think of any cons for having a universal language. It has only good implications.

[fluffyducky]

Pros: Easy communication!

Cons: Older languages that are cool die :C

The next step would be when aliens come and we need an intergalactic language, like how in fictional worlds somehow all the amorphous blob aliens from Omicron Persi 8 somehow speak the same language as humans.

[Hispoiema]

I've always loved the idea of everyone in the world speaking the same language. How much easier it would make things!  But I am not sure how well it would work for everyone to actually take an interest and  actually follow through with doing it. I can see maybe businessmen or politicians seeing the usefulness in it at times, but often times in their case, English is already the universal language.

It sounds like a wonderful idea, but I don't think it will ever fully take hold in reality. 

[sidney]

I think that's an absurd idea, because English is already considered as the universal language, so no point in trying to make a completely new language from scratch. People who want to converse internationally with people from around the world should just simply make an effort to learn an actual, existing, and common language which is English.