If we have an official language, what should it be? From my experience, most people will just answer with whatever language they happen to already know. Wouldn't it be better to scientifically pick the best language and have everyone use it? How about inventing a new language from scratch that isn't all messed up like the existing languages?
2006-12-20 10:01:56 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Well, this will come as a surprise to those who have read my stuff, but I don't think there should be an official, one world language at all.
I fully endorse Esperanto as an auxiliary (second) language, which was it's intention at conception. But NOT to be the ONLY language (or any other for that matter).
The intent of Esperanto is to provide a quick, easy, effective means of communicating with those of another tongue without forcing anybody to give up their mother tongue, traditions and culture. The big bonus is that now no one person has the linguistic advantage when you meet. You each had to do a little work to get there. We saw this in the 20's with the French and the 50's with the Americans when they each in turn shot down Esperanto as a working language at the UN, because at each respective time they were considered the international language of diplomacy and didn't want to loose that advantage.
There is NO need for anybody to learn another language if they have no intention of leaving their cushy hidyhole. But should you wish to travel and communicate with the outside world, then Esperanto is your cheap, easy, robust and consistent answer.
Oh, and don't let anybody tell you nobody speaks it. You don't have to look too hard to find anybody to communicate with, sometimes even in your own backyard.
2006-12-20 14:36:30 · answer #1 · answered by Jagg 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well in my opinion, I don't think we should have an official language for the whole world to speak, it would just be boring then and it would be hard for everyone to learn it, i'm learning spanish right now and it's hard but it's the easiest language for english speaking people to learn. Besides I don't think it would ever happen either because people would just protest, so it will never happen anyways. Plus inventing a new language would be hard too.
2006-12-20 10:06:54 · answer #2 · answered by marah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An official world-wide language? Esperanto (the most widely spoken constructed international language) or English.
An official language for the United States? English.
2006-12-20 10:08:11 · answer #3 · answered by Mistress_Tiffany 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends. If you're talking about making one universal language that EVERYONE on Earth speaks, someone's already invented it. Esperanto is a language that was invented for exactly that reason. But unless you run into William Shatner, good luck finding someone to chat with.
2006-12-20 10:07:47 · answer #4 · answered by Memphis Lawdog 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That was done once, but congress would not act on it: they did not want to hurt other groups feelings. This has caused a stronger push to have one legal official language now. At that time English beat German out by one vote. He was a German, that felt he had a new country he should have a new LANGUAGE. English!
2006-12-20 10:09:43 · answer #5 · answered by zipper 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think in the afterlife we will all speak a new language and all understand it and speak it fluently....wish we had that now. But I prefer English as I am not so great at German, French or Spanish the only other languages I've tried to understand.
2006-12-20 10:05:33 · answer #6 · answered by Bored With This 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
English is already the language spoken most internationally. Why change that? So I am for English.
2006-12-20 10:15:51 · answer #7 · answered by Sarah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ENGLISH is our one and ONLY Official Language!
2006-12-20 10:04:14 · answer #8 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Proto Indo-European
2006-12-20 10:04:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
English should be our official language and you up there - we don't have an official language because America is considered a "melting pot..."
2006-12-20 10:05:29 · answer #10 · answered by dragonflyrivers 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋