A single language for the world?

[RXP]

I was having this debate with someone that it would be so much better if everyone spoke the same language. We could communicate better. Meet more people. If you're a romantic you'd expand your horizons for finding 'the one' because you'd instantly be able to talk to anyone you encounter.

The counter was that this means no culture. I said culture's a lot more than language and the benefits of loosing language are far outweighed by the gains of a single language esp. economic gain which would raise living standards due to a barrier of trade being removed.

I was accused of being a bigot and arogant cock. Is this correct? While it's usually true I think in this respect it's not. The idea of language is to turn the electro/chemical pulses in your brain into a format that another person/animal or whatever can understand and turn it into electro chemical impulses in their head to find vaguely the same meaning as what you meant. That's it. Nothing to do with culture. Culture in my view is the actual country, food, tradition. While language is a tradition there is so much more to culture.

Discuss..

[wheelchairman]

I agree with you.

[lousyskater]

yeah, i've always felt that if the world can just agree on one language, foreign relations would be a lot easier and we would never have to worry about language barriers.
________
married woman Cams

[wheelchairman]

Although if there was only one language. It would splinter into local dialects awfullly quick. And it surely would eventually become hard to understand each other again.

[lousyskater]

Although if there was only one language. It would splinter into local dialects awfullly quick. And it surely would eventually become hard to understand each other again.

that's already starting to happen in america. lol.
________
Ocean View Condos Prathumnak

[the_GoDdEsS]

No.

Because language DOES reflect culture and there are different ways of analyzing extralinguistic reality or a different ELR in general. You wouldn't be able to have one common language because the countries of the world are way too different.
Second point is the world could not agree on one. You'd only cause more wars.

I say it's totally impossible.

[Nina]

i couldnt agree more with that ^.

[Mota Boy]

It's called "English".











OK, fine, it's not exactly what you are driving at, but it is the world's second language... and I think that's what should happen. We should all agree on one second language to learn, so that we can preserve our own language and culture but still communicate with everyone else.

[Tijs]

I agree with Mota Boy.

It's a good thing for a country to have it's own language, but what's wrong with a second language? It annoys the shit out of me if I got the McDonalds in France and ask 'Do you speak English?'
Frenchmen says: 'A little' *does a thing with his hand*
I say: 'Can I have a large fries please?'
Frenchmen: 'Que?'
Nothing wrong with a second language.

[the_GoDdEsS]

Second language - agreed. But that is literally calling for some special arrangements in second language policy. Compulsory second language programs, mainstreaming, immersion programs or whatever. A lot of the second language on TV and radio. Because not everyone is talented at picking up a language. But sometimes effort equals talent.

English is a sort of a lingua franca today. But do you think all countries would actually agree to adopt it as their second language? It's still utopia to me.