2006-10-28 18:05:14 · 9 answers · asked by syrious 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Not only is it not likely, it's not possible. Japanese and Chinese are tonal languages, and there are many words in both languages that would be spelled the same in English or Cyrillic, but which can mean VERY different things. Their own written languages don't have that problem - the meanings are made clear by the symbols that are used.
2006-10-28 18:10:51 · answer #1 · answered by triviatm 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, why should they? I figure in the next 70 years English people will be speaking Chinese. BTW, I hate to break it to all of you but the next center of civilization will be China. Putting it frankly, China will be the next United States with all the power that goes along with that saying.
English is the current business language right now but mark my words...China is the future. I am so glad I won't be around for that fun.
2006-10-29 01:13:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just as the United States isn't going to drop their writing system for a different, neither will Japan or China. That would require a huge cultural and linguistic shift.
2006-10-29 01:39:15 · answer #3 · answered by ako lang 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't think so. It is said that the PRC government have tried it ages ago, but they failed in the end (might be a rumor). Pragmatically, it just wouldn't work right. The best example I could think of so far is "yanzi", which can be both çå (a swallow) or éå (a kind of huge bird that usually flies in groups that form a shape of the Chinese character 人)
2006-10-29 10:08:01 · answer #4 · answered by Singing River 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no indication of it. People have suggested it, but characters are so ingrained into their culture that it just would not work. People over there will continue to learn english, just as many other people learn theirs.
2006-10-29 13:45:34 · answer #5 · answered by mike i 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As far as everyone in China is concerned, there are more Chinese speakers and writers in the world than there are English, so every one else must learn Chinese.
2006-10-29 01:09:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
as far as chinese goes I don't think so and I hope not...the characters have a very descriptive side to them that you can't just get in ordinary syllables or words.
2006-10-29 01:51:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not going to happen. Ever.
2006-10-29 01:21:00 · answer #8 · answered by Creative Name 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
NO.
2006-10-29 07:16:26 · answer #9 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋