Language Powers

Spectacle · 03-11-2008, 08:41 PM

I was just chatting with a friend of mine about language and how learning language is considered the hardest thing a human will ever do. The feat of being completely fluent in more than one is exponentially difficult. Babies are the hardest workers ever, wrapping their brain around all the syntax, phonemes and whatnot of language.
So, I'd say the most important and useful language in the world hands down is: English. Even though it is actually a pretty challenging language to learn, English is the language of business and that's what makes the world go round ya know. But this is where me and my friend disagreed-is Spanish the second most important language? Or would it be possibly, French? Chinese?

freshnesschronic · 03-11-2008, 08:45 PM

English then Spanish.

Chinese is just spoken by 1.2 billion people, I don't even consider it that important globally (politics, business, enculturation).

Aliantha · 03-11-2008, 08:49 PM

French is the language of diplomacy. Mandarin and cantonese are spoken by more people than any other language.

Spanish is up there though, but it's not recognized in any formal way to my knowledge.

Kingswood · 03-11-2008, 09:39 PM

Italian.

Spaghetti, pasta, pizza, cannelloni, rigatoni, vermicelli, fettuccine...

HungLikeJesus · 03-11-2008, 11:16 PM

Do you mean "my friend and I"?

Shawnee123 · 03-12-2008, 08:22 AM

Me see?

DanaC · 03-12-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Babies are the hardest workers ever, wrapping their brain around all the syntax, phonemes and whatnot of language.

True, but much of what might be called the patterns of language are hardwired into babies. The difficulties they tend to face come in where language has evolved away from the instinctive patterns. So, irregular verbs tend to cause children difficulty in all languages. Similar mistakes are noticed in children from different backgrounds and different languages. The English version being such mistakes as "I falled" instead of " I fell".

Trilby · 03-12-2008, 10:27 AM

I think we should all learn Icelandic. Change the paradigm, people!

Shawnee123 · 03-12-2008, 10:37 AM

Hver maður er borinn frjáls og jafn öðrum að virðingu og réttindum. Menn eru gæddir vitsmunum og samvisku, og ber þeim að breyta bróðurlega hverjum við annan.

Ouch!

Clodfobble · 03-12-2008, 12:06 PM

The reality is 99.9% of people don't actually interact globally in their lives. Who gives a shit if a car mechanic can speak the "language of diplomacy?" We're not all part of a global village, nor will most of us even work in a business situation that will cause us to interact with another country. The most important second language depends on each individual's cultural situation. Around here, it's Spanish, no question.

freshnesschronic · 03-12-2008, 01:02 PM

Do you think there will be a global language on earth in the future? Such as post nuclear war, the few surviving human populous all creating a global pidgin language? Or maybe in thousands of years when we go intergalactic, there will be a "human" language? Like a language that is native to earth, to distinguish from other alien races. Maybe I'm just a nerd....

glatt · 03-12-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshnesschronic

Do you think there will be a global language on earth in the future? Such as post nuclear war, the few surviving human populous all creating a global pidgin language?

If that happened, I bet you would see an increase in the number of languages because with civilization breaking down, there would be less travel and less communication. Local dialects would evolve into different languages.

BigV · 03-13-2008, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

The reality is 99.9% of people don't actually interact globally in their lives. --snip.

Was at work this evening at 0015 PDT to meet our people in The Netherlands at 0800 local time. Thank god their English is impeccable, because as work on their computers with remote connections to see their screens, I find the localization of Windows XP in Dutch utterly impenetrable. I also have worked on systems localized for French, Italian, Swedish, German and Finnish. In cases like this, I'm working by braille. I remember that for some context sensitive menus, "Properties" is the bottom of the list. I have some screenshots of the Control Panel we all know and love in many of the languages listed above. Even the keyboards are substantially different.

Listening to them code switch in the background as they translate what I said to the other people in the room not on the phone is a testament to their skill. I wish I knew more languages.

dar512 · 03-13-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

We're not all part of a global village, nor will most of us even work in a business situation that will cause us to interact with another country.

This is only true because you're talking to a mostly older demographic. I have to communicate out of the country quite often. Your kids and mine will compete with most of the rest of the world. At least they will if they work in a white collar or IT job. The global economy is upon us.

At least until the oil runs out.

freshnesschronic · 03-12-2008, 01:13 PM

Oh yeah....maybe...then humanity would be screwed on communication.

03-11-2008, 08:41 PM	#1
Spectacle Observing the Wine Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 85	Language Powers I was just chatting with a friend of mine about language and how learning language is considered the hardest thing a human will ever do. The feat of being completely fluent in more than one is exponentially difficult. Babies are the hardest workers ever, wrapping their brain around all the syntax, phonemes and whatnot of language. So, I'd say the most important and useful language in the world hands down is: English. Even though it is actually a pretty challenging language to learn, English is the language of business and that's what makes the world go round ya know. But this is where me and my friend disagreed-is Spanish the second most important language? Or would it be possibly, French? Chinese? __________________ I see.

03-11-2008, 08:49 PM	#3
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	French is the language of diplomacy. Mandarin and cantonese are spoken by more people than any other language. Spanish is up there though, but it's not recognized in any formal way to my knowledge. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

03-11-2008, 09:39 PM	#4
Kingswood Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, Vic Posts: 316	Italian. Spaghetti, pasta, pizza, cannelloni, rigatoni, vermicelli, fettuccine... __________________ Ur is a city in Mesopotamia.

03-11-2008, 11:16 PM	#5
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	Do you mean "my friend and I"? __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

03-12-2008, 08:22 AM	#6
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Me see? __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

03-11-2008, 08:45 PM	#2
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	English then Spanish. Chinese is just spoken by 1.2 billion people, I don't even consider it that important globally (politics, business, enculturation).

03-12-2008, 10:27 AM	#8
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	I think we should all learn Icelandic. Change the paradigm, people!

03-12-2008, 10:37 AM	#9
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Hver maður er borinn frjáls og jafn öðrum að virðingu og réttindum. Menn eru gæddir vitsmunum og samvisku, og ber þeim að breyta bróðurlega hverjum við annan. Ouch! __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

03-12-2008, 12:06 PM	#10
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	The reality is 99.9% of people don't actually interact globally in their lives. Who gives a shit if a car mechanic can speak the "language of diplomacy?" We're not all part of a global village, nor will most of us even work in a business situation that will cause us to interact with another country. The most important second language depends on each individual's cultural situation. Around here, it's Spanish, no question.

03-12-2008, 01:02 PM	#11
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	Do you think there will be a global language on earth in the future? Such as post nuclear war, the few surviving human populous all creating a global pidgin language? Or maybe in thousands of years when we go intergalactic, there will be a "human" language? Like a language that is native to earth, to distinguish from other alien races. Maybe I'm just a nerd....

03-12-2008, 01:13 PM	#15
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	Oh yeah....maybe...then humanity would be screwed on communication.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)