Is English Becoming the Universal Language?

[Auraninja]

It has become the langua franca in many places in Europe, where it is commonly spoken outside of home, and it has spread throughout what we consider the West.

However, I think to say it has become a universal language would be an overstatement, though one can say that people like Shakespeare has used the English language to spread literature throughout the world.

 

[Krake]

I know for a fact that Italian teens sometimes even use English words as slang as well as phrases. I live in America though which is no surprise that I know English. Of course you can't say that America is taking over the world, because American and English are too different languages. I learned that from talking with my friend in Saint Petersburg.

American isn't a language, though.

Adding to the topic, English isn't spoken by everyone, but it is extremely widespread thanks to the former British Empire and the influence of the United States. Spanish and Mandarin are also widely known, thanks to the former Spanish Empire and China's huge population (particularly in Hong Kong) respectively, and they are also important to business and tourism.

I would say that any of those languages are important to learn, but English more so because of the influence of the US and Britain.

 

[Iceberg]

It does seem that English is spoken in many countries around the world.

Whether English is becoming universal or not, I think there should be a universal language. Language is a barrier between people, a big one at that. If we all spoke the same language, we could all communicate and relate better to each other.

But there is the arguement that everyone learning one language would destroy individuality and culture. I guess it would to some extent.

So really, would you be okay giving up a part of your heritage to destroy a global barrier?

 

[Kazekage]

http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/10languages.htm

Please stop people.

The number of people who speak english, as a second language is greater than any other, and more countries use english as an official language than anything else.

 

[Soroft]

I'm pretty sure, and correct me if I'm wrong, but English became dominant ages ago. Literally ages ago. Back in the long time ago years, England became dominant in Europe, and due to their infectious exploration habits, they soon spread the language all over.

While Mandarin Chinese is still the most known language, you have to take into account that China has so many people in their country, whereas English is a little more widely spread out.

That's just my take on it.

 

[Bhatman]

Well, it is turning out to be the universal language, the most spoken language is mandarin chinese as of now, but in 10 years time, I think it will be English, India has taken a revolutionary step to make English the 1st language in all the school, even the rural ones, now children back here in India are taught English from Day1 of their school lives.

So yeah, It looks like English is turning out to be a universal language.

 

[(s.i.e)]

Why are people taking universal literally? Sheesh.

one word: autism.

 

[Sceptile Master]

It's not becoming a universal language (more widespread, maybe), it's just beneficial to learn English, like how it's good for Northern Canadians to know French.

 

[I like Pokemon (...)]

Really, I'm not surprised that English is/has become so widespread. The British Empire ruled so many countries, including powerful/large nations, such as the US, and India.

Also, what with all the big English/American companies spreading across the rest of the world, it's no surprise that learning English will be rewarding, especially in the long run.

And Mandarin and Spanish becoming more common... I have a feeling that Mandarin is moreso because of China's large population, but they'll likely become very powerful in the next few decades. Spanish, though, I know very little about why it's so common.

Going slightly off-topic, I wouldn't mind a language becoming the "universal language", but I would prefer it not to be English. I know people disagree on whether English is a difficult language or not, but it can DEFINITELY be made easier. We have too many words that mean the same thing, we have multiple spellings for some words (though that's more a problem with using American English over British English), and way too many exceptions to our rules. It's also too "un-phonetic".

 

[Victoria]

There are so many countries now where learning English has become compulsory, so I'm guessing that it is infact 'the universal' language. And as most people have said, I agree it is mostly due to the control that Britain had over so many countries years ago.

 

[dark rift]

Going slightly off-topic, I wouldn't mind a language becoming the "universal language", but I would prefer it not to be English. I know people disagree on whether English is a difficult language or not, but it can DEFINITELY be made easier. We have too many words that mean the same thing, we have multiple spellings for some words (though that's more a problem with using American English over British English), and way too many exceptions to our rules. It's also too "un-phonetic".

Although, English is getting easier in a way, because people are getting 'lazier' when it comes to speaking/using it, but it's still easy to understand what people mean even if it's abused. Also, once it gets blended in a few more cultures I'm sure it will become even more easy to learn it since more new dialects will exist (like in Singapore) which are still understandable if you don't speak them.

 

[Royalty]

Damn...that would be nice if it did become a universal language. It would mean that I can vacation anywhere and be able to both understand everyone and be understood by everyone.

But...

I really hope not. I love the foreign languages. I Love Love Love them and love hearing them be spoken, especially by their native speakers. I don't understand any of them and they could even say "You are a stupid American and should leave now" and I'd still probably find it to be sexy and interesting.
And,
I think that it's kind of crazy to think of it becoming universal. Sure America's a world power...but a rather broke one at that. And, I have tried SO hard to pick up another language. My Dad is bilingual and so is all of his side of the family. Can I speak anything other than English?...no. The English language has so many bits and pieces that others don't. If I can't learn the languages considered to be "easy to pick up, especially by immersion" then I don't see how other people would start to try English.

But...it would be nice too because I've worked with international people that speak fluent English when they are getting everything they want...and then "magically" don't speak a word of English when they are told something they don't want to hear.

 

[The_Panda]

There is no doubt that internationally English is the most widely spoken language, and easily the most useful language you could know. I doubt it's really anything like a universal language, however.

The main problem is selection bias: for most of us it seems like English is far more universal than it actually is. By far the majority of people here only are fluent and literate in English, and even the exceptions (like a few Dutch speakers) live in the West. This essentially means that, if we come into contact with someone from overseas, then they too probably speak very good English. Basically everyone from overseas who we "know" will speak English. What this creates is an illusion that English is somehow a universal language, where say the only people from mainland China we know (who happen to speak fluent English) become representative of the entire population of that country.

In most non English-speaking, non-European countries, English is barely spoken at all. Even in Hong Kong, a country where English was and still is completely compulsory, the majority of the population speaks incredibly poor English, and in mainland China virtually nobody has a significant grasp of the language especially outside Shanghai and Beijing. India, admittedly, is slightly different because of the status of English as a language to connect various local languages, but I imagine most other developing countries are quite similar.

The bottom line is that for all purposes for most westerners, English is a universal language. Even if you live as an expatriate in say Shanghai, you probably wouldn't need all that much Chinese purely because of the inherent selection bias of international business and the expatriate community. As a whole for most people in the globe however, it is nothing like a universal language. People in the middle-east are better off learning Standard Arabic, and people in former Soviet states are better off learning Russian.

 

[natie]

There is no doubt that internationally English is the most widely spoken language,

Statistically speaking, Spanish is.

and easily the most useful language you could know.

I highly doubt that. Mandarin Chinese is by far the most useful language you can learn, not this silly 'English' you speak of.

 

[(s.i.e)]

Statistically speaking, Spanish is.

que?

10char.

 

[Tropios]

Statistically speaking, Spanish is.

I highly doubt that. Mandarin Chinese is by far the most useful language you can learn, not this silly 'English' you speak of.

in europe, english is the most used language according to the papers

and yeah right, i hear chinese every day -_- i know some people think its the future...

 

[natie]

in europe, english is the most used language according to the papers

and yeah right, i hear chinese every day -_- i know some people think its the future...

It's not because you don't hear it that it can't be useful.

Do you even realise that nearly all new technology is made in China?

You're better off learning Chinese than waiting for those 1 billion Chinese people to learn English.

 

[Tropios]

It's not because you don't hear it that it can't be useful.

Do you even realise that nearly all new technology is made in China?

You're better off learning Chinese than waiting for those 1 billion Chinese people to learn English.

yeah but china is like the big factory, while japan is the brains. anyways, i dont think the first language theyd try to teach to aliens would be chinese, im sure itll english

 

[natie]

yeah but china is like the big factory, while japan is the brains. anyways, i dont think the first language theyd try to teach to aliens would be chinese, im sure itll english

The brains come up with the ideas, but to execute the ideas, you need the big factory. So, to be able to tel them what to do, you need to be able to speak Chinese.

But it seems you're forgetting one thing here, which is that China is becoming a nice little (?) rival in terms of brain power to Japan.

 

[Tropios]

The brains come up with the ideas, but to execute the ideas, you need the big factory. So, to be able to tel them what to do, you need to be able to speak Chinese.

But it seems you're forgetting one thing here, which is that China is becoming a nice little (?) rival in terms of brain power to Japan.

yeah, but i doubt they ask you if you can speak chinese if youre looking for a job that doesnt include negotiation with chinese factories