JetService From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 4798 posts, RR: 13 Reply 1, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1186 times:
LufthansaUSA From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 188 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1167 times:
Spanish? I don't think so. What you may mean is the next language of the U.S., because I believe Spanish will soon be a major language across the country. But, I dont think that Spanish will ever become a major language of the world. No spanish speaking country has a massive presence in world affairs, as the U.S., Russia, and China all do. Though many people speak Spanish, it is not a language of trade, tourism, or industry, and therefore will probably never be a major "international language"
JetService From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 4798 posts, RR: 13 Reply 5, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1163 times:
Luft, well mine was a semi-guess and here is how I came to the conclusion I did.
The next int'l lang will be one that uses the english alphabet, so Chinese, Japanese, other Asian, Arabic, Russian, etc are out!
That leaves largely European languages.
Of those, Spanish, or those very similar to Spanish are collectively more widely used around the world.
TWFirst From Vatican City, joined Apr 2000, 6346 posts, RR: 53 Reply 6, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1160 times:
I think you meant to say the Latin alphabet JetService.
I agree with you. Chinese will never be an international language, unless it is transliterated into Latin spelling. Even then, a major problem is that
1) there are myriads of dialects spoken in China
2) even assuming one is picked (Mandarin), meaning in Chinese is communicated by inflection. One word can have several different meanings depending on how it is said.
English became the international language for a couple of very good reasons - it was spread all over the world via the British Empire, and the economic might of the U.S. meant that English needed to be spoken for business. Although there are over a billion Chinese, they're primarily all concentrated in China. Since Spanish is also spoken in several parts of the world, and since it also an easy language to learn and speak (unlike Chinese), I think it has more of a chance. Especially if the U.S. evolves into a primarily bilingual country (although I don't know what the chances of that are).
Flight152 From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 3291 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1151 times:
Dab920 From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2001, 107 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1143 times:
Well I reckon internationally Chinese has the potential to be the second language or already is based on the population and its growth over the last 10 years +.. ..Yes chinese people have hundreds of dialects.. like myself I speak Cantonese which is a southern dialect its more difficult than Mandarin cos we use 9 tones whereas Mandarin is has 4 therefore it makes it easier for English speakers to pick up the language..... Mandarin is the Chinese " official spoken language" ...we could say that English is different...we have the American and "English" dictionary.. I prefer the "English".... I dont necessarily agree that the next language has be taken from the English alphabet!... Most South east asian countries know how to speak Mandarin because durnig Cultural revolution many people fled China ..the KMT to Taiwan.. others to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.... like myself my grandparents fled to Hong Kong .... and once China joins WTO more people will be learning the language...
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Airlinelover From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 5580 posts, RR: 27 Reply 10, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1127 times:
I say either Klingon, Vulcan, or Ferengi..
Chris
Lets do some sexy math. We add you, subtract your clothes, divide your legs and multiply
Whistler From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1124 times:
Maybe German or French, possibly russian.
>No spanish speaking country has a massive presence in world
>affairs, as the U.S., Russia, and China all do.
That really has nothing to do with it. The reason english is so popular isn't because the US is the worlds only super power (don't flatter yourselves ), it is because back in the days of the Empire the British went all over the place setting up colonies and spreading it (along with their religious beliefs etc). The only other countries I can think of that did that on a scale anywhere close to the British Empire are France and Spain.
BNE From Australia, joined Mar 2000, 3156 posts, RR: 13 Reply 13, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1112 times:
Another thing that english has that it doesn't seem to have a language police. Words and phrases can be added or phased out with ease, without anyone getting to upset about what should be in or out.
Western727 From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 579 posts, RR: 4 Reply 14, posted (11 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1112 times:
As some of you have mentioned earlier, it already is English.
WiLdmanVzla From Mexico, joined Sep 2000, 616 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 1099 times:
Why not spanish?!!!!!!!!!!
English is so easy to learn (well, the basic features)... but there's a lot of spanish speaking people all over the world, so I hope our native language will get the role it deserves.
... y ahora, ¡aprendan a hablar español!
(... and now, learn how to speak spanish!)
By the way Jet Service ... what's the meaning of "?Dé teordo piqar las ceitridos nas miedra¿"
I live in Mexico, I lived in Venezuela, Argentina & Spain (four different ways of speaking the same spanish) & I couldn't understand the meaning of that sentence!!!!
JetService From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 4798 posts, RR: 13 Reply 16, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 1095 times:
By the way Jet Service ... what's the meaning of "?Dé teordo piqar las ceitridos nas miedra¿" I live in Mexico, I lived in Venezuela, Argentina & Spain (four different ways of speaking the same spanish) & I couldn't understand the meaning of that sentence!!!!
WiLdmanVzla, the reason you don't understand it is because I made it up. I don't speak Spanish, so that's the best I could do.
Schlütlerdeiter dir vöulshol e weiderhaägen. <---made up German
COboeing777 From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 693 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 1090 times:
Airlinelover From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 5580 posts, RR: 27 Reply 20, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1084 times:
If ebonics becomes an INT'L LANGUAGE, I'll $hit my pants..
Chris
Lets do some sexy math. We add you, subtract your clothes, divide your legs and multiply
Jetguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 1078 times:
Ebonics - no way. Hickfonics is the wave of the future...
Little Rock, Arkansas educators, after learning that Oakland, CA educators have started classes teaching ethnic slang, have decided there is also a need to designate southern slang as a geographic language. Ergo, "Hickphonics." Here is a sampling from the new Arkansas Hickphonics dictionary now being complied:
HEIDI = noun. Greeting
HIRE YEW = complete sentence. Remainder of greeting. Usage: "Heidi, hire yew?"
BARD = verb. Past tense of "to borrow." Usage: "My brother bard my pick-up truck."
JAWJUH - noun. State just north of Florida.
LANNA - noun. Capital of JAWJUH. Usage: "My brother from Lanna, Jawjuh bard my pick-up truck.
BAMMER - noun. State just west of JAWJUH. Usage: "Tornada went thu BAMMER and left $20 million in Improvements.
MUNTS - noun. A calendar division. Usage: "My brother from Lanna, Jawjuh bard my pick-up truck an ah aint herd from him
in munts."
THANK - verb. Ability to cognitively process. Usage: "Ah thank ahll have a bare."
BARE = noun. An alcoholic beverage. Usage: "Ah thank ahll have a bare."
IGNERT - adjective. Not smart. See "Arkansas native." Usage: "Some of those BAMMA boys sure are ignert."
RANCH - noun. Tool used for tightening bolts. Usage: "Ah thank ah left my ranch in back ove my pick-up truck that my
brother from Jawjuh bard a few munts ago.
ALL = noun. Petroleum- based product. Usage: "Ah hope my brothr put some all in my pick-up truck."
FAR = noun. A conflagration. Usage: "If my brother don't change the all in my pick-up, that thang gone catch far."
TAR = noun. A rubber wheel. Usage: "Ah hope my brother from Jawjuh don git a flat tar in my pick-up he bard."
TARRED = adverb. Exhausted. Usage: "Ah jest flew in from Lanna and boy are my arms, tarred."
FARN = adjective. Not from here. Usage: "Ah can't understand a wurd he sed. Must be from some farn country.
DID = adjective. Not alive. Usage: "He aint breathin, must be did."
EAR = noun. A colorless gas (except Los Angeles) Usage: Ahm goin outside to git sum fresh ear."
BOB WAR - noun. Sharp, twisted cable used for fencing. Usage: "Stay way from thet bob war."
HAZE = pronoun /contraction of he is. Usage: "Is Bubba stupid? Nah, haze ignert."
SEED = verb. Past tense of see. Usage: "Ah seed him yestidy."
VIEW = pronoun/ contraction of have you. Usage: "Ah aint never been tah New York city view?
GUMMIT- noun. A bureaucratic state or Federal institution. Usage: "Them gummit boys are sure ignert."
LH423 From Canada, joined Jul 1999, 6501 posts, RR: 56 Reply 23, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1057 times:
Good one Jetguy
Why do we need another international language? I think as French is already considered an official in several global organizations, so it seems logical that that be next. Well, that and the average Frenchman's reluctance to learn English being greater than any other nation
LH423
« On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux » Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Delta-flyer From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 2676 posts, RR: 7 Reply 24, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1055 times:
Hey, Jetguy, ya otter be ratcheer, in Miss Sippi! (That's the next one over fum Bammer!)
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 25, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 1050 times:
Hi !!!
Spanish or Chinese, but i think i will be Spanish. I hope because i decide to learn Spanish. This language is spoken in Europe, the USA and central and south America. Chinese is only spoken in China, Taiwan and Singapore.
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), it is because back in the days of the Empire the British went all over the place setting up colonies and spreading it (along with their religious beliefs etc). The only other countries I can think of that did that on a scale anywhere close to the British Empire are France and Spain.
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