Why cant this world all speak the same language?

Question

As a jock living in England,sometimes am a alien when I open my mouth.

Answer 1

I know what you mean - I had the same problem as an English person in Scotland!

We need more tolerance though - a Scottish guy I work with gets really annoyed if I don't understand him first time - he says I look down on him for being a Scot!! Which certainly isn't true - and I don't get annoyed when he doesn't understand me - I just repeat it - or write it down!!

Answer 2

The idea of a common planetary language, especially if it is arbitrarily chosen or worse, would be next to useless. Each linguistic group would resent the fact that any other language was forced on them, and NOBODY would agree on ANY language since they would all want their own.
Esperanto is making headway in becoming an AUXILIARY language, yet people reject it out of hand because they all fear the loss of their tongue and a single language spoken by all, which is exactly what Esperanto is trying NOT to do.
Esperantos' purpose is to provide a common SECOND language so that you and you and you don't need to sink years into study of a language that you will most likely NEVER fully assimilate like a native. The choice would be yours. With Esperanto you can be comfortable talking to your neighbour in your native tongue and just as comfortable talking to Ming Lu across the waves on an equal footing in this easily learnt language. It's like a neutral handshake, because each participant invested an equal amount of effort to learn this easy language. (16 gramatical rules... NO exceptions!)
So will it some day become universal (which by the way doesn't mean that EVERYBODY in the world speaks it, just those that want it / need it)?
Well, the $600 million USD spent yearly on translation services at the UN and likewise in the EU says, sooner or later something is going to change, and this is the cheapest and most effective proven alternative.
In short... YES! It would be easier, as long as it is done in a logical and considerate fashion.
Research and draw your own conclusions.

Ĝis!

Answer 3

To answer your question, the answer is simple.

To get everyone in the world to speak one language would be far too difficult.

First everyone would have to choose/find a common language, and while the easiest option for us here, would be english, or some other european language, t'would not be the first choice of everyone.

Then there'd be the logistics involved in teaching everyone the same language. When would you plan to phase out all other languages? How would you go about teaching everyone the same language? Who would decide what is and is not the write way to write or speak?

It's just far too much effort, and for what? To eventually wipe out so many different beautiful languages that there are around the world now?

Answer 4

That could just be the expat type feeling. I was born and raised in Cumbria, then lived in Newcastle, Hull, Wolverhampton, Birmingham.... Each one speaking the same language so I have been told... but I had to adapt my speech each time to ease communication. Thats the wonderful world of travel.
Anyway they tried a global language yeras ago and still survives as a novelty. English is the international language in shipping & aviation so thats one thing. The most used language is aways going to be either due to population or usefulness. Well thats my take on things anyway.

Answer 5

I think that most countries use English as the Universal language but it is not the language you are talking about, it is the different dialects, which makes it hard for one English speaking person to understand another. You can travel the length and breadth of the UK and you will have difficultly understanding the accents used from the different regions. Anyway why do you want everyone to be the same?

Answer 6

I think it would be such a sad loss for the world to speak only one language. I love languages and learning new ones, they bring diversity and a different way of thinking. Try learning a new language, you'll meet so many new and interesting people.

Although, as an English speaker, you already have a head start, as so many people can speak English, even if it's a little different to yours.

Answer 7

Because we are of different cultures. We were never as connected as we are now in the past. I like that the world is made up of different languages. It creates a different world of understanding and learning. I personally know 3 languages and I like the differences and meanings.

Answer 8

Read for the Bible passage about the Babel Tower
(The "Tower of Babel" is the name of the building mentioned in Genesis 11:1-9.)

The descendants of Noe had migrated from the "east" (Armenia) first southward, along the course of the Tigris, then westward across the Tigris into "a plain in the land of Sennar". As their growing number forced them to live in localities more and more distant from their patriarchal homes, "they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven; and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands." The work was soon fairly under way; "and they had brick instead of stones, and slime (asphalt) instead of mortar." But God confounded their tongue, so that they did not understand one another's speech, and thus scattered them from that place into all lands, and they ceased to build the city.

Answer 9

There are many reasons for this - of course the Bible has the story of the Tower of Babel. A more logical explanation is that people before mass communication and easy transportation simply had names and words for things which suited them in their locality. Other areas took their words and kept them changed them etc. After all even today there are names for things in other parts of the UK even - A Glaswegian I once knew always talked about totties and motors and the pollis took me a while to understand her.

Answer 10

If the world all spoke the same language it would be boring. We need those different languages and different people to teach us their cultures and ways. It's important that we have the opportunity to see how they live and learn their cultures and languages.