Why not? The lingua franca has changed in the past, as I mentioned. Why can't it do so again?The thing is that there won't be any other language that becomes beneficial
Will English language domination ever end?
- Thread starter Deepak
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I'm assuming because the driving force behind 'lingua franca' has been 'democratized'.
Its no longer just the courtiers that are all inbred and high society that define what the 'lingua franca' is.
Now its a bunch of people who need to communicate to keep their businesses going. Since things are global, and since everybody has needed to talk to english people to trade before when things were mostly directed towards the english speaking super economies now finds that they can communicate with each other without learning every other language in the book, it'll probably just reinforce itself.
Sure, but as long as English remains a second language in most areas of the world, I don't really see how it can't change rapidly if the balance of economic power shifts.
I guess, but since all the supposed upcoming super economies already speak english to do most of their business, why would people move to Mandarin or Hindi?
They do this because the current economic sphere is dominated by nations that speak English natively (most especially the US). What will happen if the US has a major economic downturn, and loses its status as a world economic leader? English may well continue for some time out of momentum, but without reinforcement I don't see why the language won't switch.
I'm not sure I agree with that. The EU has about the same GDP as the US, and like 90% of those don't speak English natively. But international business tends to be in English, even if no particular English part is involved. If a French company wants a deal with a Swedish company, they will likely communicate in English, because that's a language both can understand.
Sure, but no single nation in the EU is big enough to swing the tide in favor of their language, so the momentum of English carries forward.
I agree partially with Mariner: I think that all languages will evolve towards a form that is easily (machine) translatable, and ultimately resolve into a single meta-language that incorporates a well-defined set of rules, but allows many different words and grammar to express the same thing.
The main reasons for that are live translations and voice instructions. Both have to be unambigious, so people will adapt to the form with the least amount of multiple meanings, which depend upon tonation and non-verbal signs.
The main reasons for that are live translations and voice instructions. Both have to be unambigious, so people will adapt to the form with the least amount of multiple meanings, which depend upon tonation and non-verbal signs.
spanish is easy - just stick an "o" on the end of every word
No no, you also have to clear your throat on every J and stick an e before any s at the beginning of a word.
With spelling like that, I could believe it.
With spelling like that, I could believe it.
public school ftw !
