What do you think should be the international language?

Question

I always think Chinese should be it.

As someone has mentioned, there are more Chinese speakers than English speakers in this world. Also:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3025796.stm

You see? We should challenge our brain! Besides, I speak Chinese better than I do English. :D

dodolah: "bahasa" just means language. It's silly to suggest that our international language should be "language." For future reference, try to use the unabridged form, which is either "bahasa Indonesia" (Indonesian) or "bahasa Melayu" (Malay).

Sorry if I sound a bitter; this is a touchy subject for me.

Answer 1

Spanish! That's what everyone is trying to speak anyway; most languages are derived from that. Get it right people.

Go ahead, start another war, why don't you?

Answer 2

I really want to try and push Esperanto here, but barring that I'd go with English.

My basic theory for this is that the language will almost invariably be a western based one; this being because the West has been and currently still is the strongest of all regions, and also because the West has colonized the most landmass. From this point we basically have 3 major choices of language to choose from: German, French, and English.

German, at least at this juncture, is completely out due to a wariness still around from World War II. I honestly don't believe that diplomats would be willing to speak German to each other on a regular basis. This might change perhaps in 50 years or so when the last person alive to see World War II is no longer with us.

French, sadly, is forced to meet a similar fate. While there is no real reason for any aggression towards the French, there is also at the same time no driving reason to start speaking the language, no country where there is a majority of citizens who speaks French as a first language is a power house in either global or really regional politics (France is pretty muted in terms of the EU, and has been forced to play second fiddle to Germany on more than one occasion).

English, therefore, seems like the natural choice. With both America and England having English as a national language (look at today's paper and tell me that America doesn't have a national language), and such major international institutions being positioned in the United States; I have to say that English could very easily be seen as the international language were it not for fears of forcing American culture on the rest of the world.

Answer 3

To me, I think that there should be three options for it: Chinese (Mandarin), English and Spanish.
The 'international' language is always done by the language from the country with the most power - economical, military or other.
These three languages are from the areas that are: a) very powerful (IE English with America); b) have many speakers; or c) from areas that are upcoming powerhouses (Chinese)
However it is should be taken into accord that current accepted international language is already English. For example: All pilots/air traffic control use it to communicate.
Will there ever be any ONE language that everyone speaks? I think that there will not be, but most business will use English, Spanish or Chinese, or a mixture thereof. All three will be important, but in different areas. Those that know two of the three, or all three, will have an advantage over others.

Answer 4

English

Answer 5

I think in fairness, Chinese and English both should be the international Language. Why? I am Chinese, so I think chinese of course should be the one and only, but, chinese also is one of the hardest to learn language. For me and u maybe is easy as we are born to it. But for some other, it is not easy. as English is quite easy to learn. But I hope one day, Chinese Language and it dialects can conqeur the whole world and be the international language.


P/S: by the way i saw u post on the additional note to someone, i presume u are from one of the South East Asia country that speak Malay. am i right?

Answer 6

I agree, i think English shouldn't be the international language, i think it should be either Chinese or Spanish since more people speak these languages than there are people who speak English.

Answer 7

Not sure I think there should be one. But everyone says English is the international language. If there is one I think it should be the one which is spoken by people in the country or countries that are doing the most for the world.

Answer 8

Spanish

Answer 9

Spanish

Answer 10

No I dont. We edge out bits of culture everyday. Soon, inevitably, we will all be living withing 5 miles of a walmart and a MacDonald's. I say lets try and preserve as much culture we can. Including use of language.

P.s. why Chinese?? Isn't it one of the more difficult languages to learn?

Answer 11

Espanol or Francias. A whole Continent (Besides 1 country) speaks Spanish and French!