TRUMP 2020!

[Leo]

I'm proficient in Spanish, and I know enough Hebrew to get by.

This has turned into an interesting discussion, I must say.

People stating completely whack opinions that I didn't know where even possible to have, being corrected, and then yelling about it. Strange.

My opinion about languages is that no one should be expected to learn English, even if they live here. It would be helpful, but its rude and hypocritical to insult someone for not knowing or being bad at English.

I do believe that a global language should be instated. Not a language that already exists like English or Manderin, but a new one, maybe Esperanto. That way the language wouldn't have to be specific to a certain culture.

[Meliva]

If you intend to move to a country that's national language is different then yours's then you should learn that language. Now, by no means do you HAVE to, but don't be surprised when you find a lot of people have no idea what you are saying.

You should not, however expect to move to that nation and have everyone around you learn YOUR language to make life easier for YOU.

America's national language is English. People who want to live and work here should learn the language. Again, they don't have to, but If I was ever hiring or looking for a date or any other numerous reasons of needing a 2nd person to do something, I would want to be able to communicate with that person. If they only speak Mandarin, I'm not going to take the time to learn that language just for one person.

If I ever planned to move to South Korea, I would take the time to learn their language. Just like I would do the same for Japan, or Sweden or any other bloody country. Anyone who plans to move to a foreign country and not learn their language is going to make things harder for themselves and anyone who has to deal with them.

Also, would be really stupid to form a global language and NOT use one that already exists. English would be the best to use at this moment in time, as I believe it's the most widely known language at the moment. To take the time to make an entirely new language and then have to each it to EVERYONE on the planet, would be a waste of time and resources.

Although, English is a hard language to learn. So if the decision was to use an established language that's far easier to learn, that would be acceptable too.

[Leo]

Wrong, Mel. The US has no official language. English is the most commonly spoken language, but by no means is it the language of the US. Also remember that America is two continents, not just a country.

As for the global language thingy, English is a complex language and one of the most difficult to learn, especially if you don't already speak a Latin-based language. Also, it comes with culture.

A new language, like Esperanto, is extremely simple, easy to learn, and has no culture attached to it at all.

Esperanto has been established, and would probably be a global language right now if Hitler hadn't killed 75% of the speakers. I believe that over 3 million people already speak it, and since it is be really easy to learn, it wouldn't be much of a hassle. I'm thinking of learning it myself.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWVOkdWQAs&vl=sl[/youtube]

[Meliva]

American English is the national, but not official, language of the United States. In the United States over 500 languages have been spoken or rather, are spoken. English is the most commonly used language. American English is in fact the national language of the United States.

Just because we don't call it the "official" language doesn't change it being the national. Also yes, I know damn well that America can refer to North America continent, the South America Continent, and the country of the United States of America, you bringing that up is pointless, since I'm clearly talking about the US when I say America. Since that's the only America of the 3 that has english as it's national language.

Also, why should anyone bloody care about language coming with a culture? If the easiest language to learn came from an asian culture, and the world decided to adopt it, I wouldn't care-why should anyone else? That sounds a lot like caring about what race came up with something. Or what gender. Or any other method of identity. I don't see why it should matter at all.

3 Million people. Out of over 7 Billion last I checked. After checking again, it's nearing 8 Billion. Now I don't know how easy exactly it is to learn, or how useful the language is, So I can't judge it on that, but unless you make it a necessary class in schools, I don't see it getting widespread. As it is now, I wouldn't bother learning it, when the total amount of speakers isn't even 1% of the folks world wide.

[Lachlan]

well once we start thinking of ourselves as a species instead of as separate countries there probably would be a official global earth language

[Meliva]

I'm fine with that happening, though I imagine there would be arguments about what it should be. Some folks might also refuse to learn any language and demand other's learn theirs. Some folks are selfish like that.

Of course, there is always the universal language of punching . Pretty sure no matter what race, culture or religion you may be, a hard punch to the face is understood by everyone

[Leo]

Well said, Kim.

The culture behind a language does matter. Not because any cultures are bad, but because we should not be enforcing cultures onto people. If the language that became global was culturally connected, then it would effect the cultures of everyone that learned it.

[Meliva]

You really think you can't teach a language without teaching the culture it came from? Also, English language is spoken by many different cultures and has many different variants. Do you think Australian culture is the same as mine? Or a man from Scotland? Language is not going to end up enforcing culture onto the learners. It might have some very minor effects maybe, however cultures are constantly changing and developing over time from all sorts of things. Hell just folks from a different cultures living together will effect eachother.

It's also not a bad thing. A lot of amazing things exist because of cultures effecting eachother. It's only bad if one is trying to exterminate a culture, which teaching a language won't bloody do.

[Leo]

Even if you were right, it doesn't change the fact that English is a difficult language, and that a language created for the purpose of being spoken globally would be better suited for everyone.

[Meliva]

You are so arrogant you know that? You are literally stating that your opinion, would be better suited for everyone. I certainly don't agree with that statement. I also don't agree that just because a language is created with the purpose of being spoken globally would make it the best option. What if the language, while easy to learn, lacks certain vocabulary? What if the vast majority of people don't want to learn it? Would you force them?

Of course, this is largely pointless. Technology will probably get to the point where you can just have your phone or another device translate everything for you. At that point, global language will just be redundant