Do you agree?
In the future, it will be every other lang and then English
No.
According to several experts there will be more than 1 World language. There will be at least 4 or 5 languages with the same status: Chinese, English, Spanish, Arabic (and perhaps Hindi-Urdu).
There will be other important languages, like French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Tamil, Russian, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, etc with almost the same status.
So, the power of English will be relatively less important.
According to several experts there will be more than 1 World language. There will be at least 4 or 5 languages with the same status: Chinese, English, Spanish, Arabic (and perhaps Hindi-Urdu).
There will be other important languages, like French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Tamil, Russian, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, etc with almost the same status.
So, the power of English will be relatively less important.
NO.
English is probably at the peak of it's influence now. With the (probable) decline and fall of the West in the decades ahead, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Indoensian, etc. are likely to become the primary global languages.
English is probably at the peak of it's influence now. With the (probable) decline and fall of the West in the decades ahead, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Indoensian, etc. are likely to become the primary global languages.
Why do you people keep bringing Hindi up? It will never be important outside the country's border. And Indonesian??
The West actually involves many countries and cultures. It won't fall anytime soon.
The West actually involves many countries and cultures. It won't fall anytime soon.
" According to several experts there will be more than 1 World language. There will be at least 4 or 5 languages with the same status: Chinese, English, Spanish, Arabic (and perhaps Hindi-Urdu). "
No. Chinese will remain a merely ethnic language.
Spanish has failed to assert in the modern world as being too much associated with low development, it is a burden that is more a liabilty than an asset to its speakers.
Arabic is a very weak language. In Arab countries business is only made in English and/or in French.
There is no serious competition to English on the global scene.
No. Chinese will remain a merely ethnic language.
Spanish has failed to assert in the modern world as being too much associated with low development, it is a burden that is more a liabilty than an asset to its speakers.
Arabic is a very weak language. In Arab countries business is only made in English and/or in French.
There is no serious competition to English on the global scene.
"There is no serious competition to English on the global scene."
The same thought French people in 1900...and now French is not in the top ten languages.
If you don't want to see that, I don't care, but experts say other things...
Chinese is an ethnic language, yes. English will be the same, the language of the Anglos (half of USA, half of Canada, almost all UK, Ireland, Australian and NZ). No more.
Spanish will be the language of more than 100 million of Americans (only in USA) in 2050. So, acording to your point of view, USA will be associated with low development.
Arabic is the language not only of Arab world, but Muslim World (more than 1 billion people).
Perhaps, you need to be more cautious...
The same thought French people in 1900...and now French is not in the top ten languages.
If you don't want to see that, I don't care, but experts say other things...
Chinese is an ethnic language, yes. English will be the same, the language of the Anglos (half of USA, half of Canada, almost all UK, Ireland, Australian and NZ). No more.
Spanish will be the language of more than 100 million of Americans (only in USA) in 2050. So, acording to your point of view, USA will be associated with low development.
Arabic is the language not only of Arab world, but Muslim World (more than 1 billion people).
Perhaps, you need to be more cautious...
I think that the use of Chinese will expand internationally, but I don't think it will achieve the same penetration that English has because its script and pronunciation are much more complex than English. Who will have the time to learn thousands of characters?
"Spanish will be the language of more than 100 million of Americans (only in USA) in 2050. So, acording to your point of view, USA will be associated with low development."
This is right. Spanish carries a stigma as the language of the underdogs.
"There is no serious competition to English on the global scene."
The same thought French people in 1900..."
Bullshit. As early as 1760 English was just as powerful as French was. John Locke was the most influential thinker, and the French were well aware of that. Voltaire went to London to learn English.
German joined the top league after 1815.
This is right. Spanish carries a stigma as the language of the underdogs.
"There is no serious competition to English on the global scene."
The same thought French people in 1900..."
Bullshit. As early as 1760 English was just as powerful as French was. John Locke was the most influential thinker, and the French were well aware of that. Voltaire went to London to learn English.
German joined the top league after 1815.
<<So, acording to your point of view, USA will be associated with low development." >>
Many in Europe, Canada, Australia, NZ, Japan, Singapore, etc. already think of the U.S. as "underdeveloped", in many ways. From inside the U.S., the outlook for the future from looks overwhelmingly negative. A few decades from now, if (the apparent) current trends continue, there'll be lots of poor, along with a few middle class people, and a relative handful of the rich.
Many in Europe, Canada, Australia, NZ, Japan, Singapore, etc. already think of the U.S. as "underdeveloped", in many ways. From inside the U.S., the outlook for the future from looks overwhelmingly negative. A few decades from now, if (the apparent) current trends continue, there'll be lots of poor, along with a few middle class people, and a relative handful of the rich.
<< Who will have the time to learn thousands of characters? >>
Some decades from now, *if* most of the scientific, technical, and artistic development has shifted from the West to China, educated non-Chinese (assuming there are any left at that time) will have no choice but to learn Chinese to participate in the international scene. It doesn't matter how difficult the language is, many people will still have to learn for professional survival.
Some decades from now, *if* most of the scientific, technical, and artistic development has shifted from the West to China, educated non-Chinese (assuming there are any left at that time) will have no choice but to learn Chinese to participate in the international scene. It doesn't matter how difficult the language is, many people will still have to learn for professional survival.
There are more than 450 million of Hispanics. Probably, a lot of them earn more money than you.
Only in Spain and USA there are more than 90 million of Hispanics, and a lot of them with a medium or high level of life. I am sure that only in Madrid or Miami half of the population earn more than you. I am sure that I earn also much more money than you.
Only in Spain and USA there are more than 90 million of Hispanics, and a lot of them with a medium or high level of life. I am sure that only in Madrid or Miami half of the population earn more than you. I am sure that I earn also much more money than you.
<< Arabic is the language not only of Arab world, but Muslim World (more than 1 billion people). >>
The only people that learn it as a native langauge are in the Middle East (that's definitly not 1 billion people), and even there it's seriously divided among various dialects. Remember that Arabic is a macro-language. The ''standard" is only taught as a secondary language and is not always prefered among native speakers or others of the Muslim world, where many of the educated use English and French anyway. Besides, the Arab/Muslim world has little going for it besides praying to "God" and oil (which is temporary and also uses English in business). So outside of mosques, Arabic will never be very important on the world scale. That and security/intelligence agencies because of religious extremism and terrorism.
Indonesian? Definitly not in our life times. There are a lot of people there and some oil, but that's about it. It has little international influence and is mostly a poor third world country with a less then desirable geographic situation.
Hindi would have more promise IF it wasn't overshadowed by English, which is widely used in the country for communication in politics and business among the many groups and languages spoken there.
<< I think that the use of Chinese will expand internationally, but I don't think it will achieve the same penetration that English has because its script and pronunciation are much more complex than English. Who will have the time to learn thousands of characters? >>
This is a valid point.
<< Some decades from now, *if* most of the scientific, technical, and artistic development has shifted from the West to China, educated non-Chinese (assuming there are any left at that time) will have no choice but to learn Chinese to participate in the international scene. >>
This is also a valid point. But it's a big "IF". I think we will see more of a west-east balance in science and culture than a full-on Chinese takeover that some claim will happen. Honestly, the US isn't going anywhere and Europe may further strengthen itself through a more integrated EU. We also have Russia, India and the growing Latin American countries/community to include in this complex equation also.
The only people that learn it as a native langauge are in the Middle East (that's definitly not 1 billion people), and even there it's seriously divided among various dialects. Remember that Arabic is a macro-language. The ''standard" is only taught as a secondary language and is not always prefered among native speakers or others of the Muslim world, where many of the educated use English and French anyway. Besides, the Arab/Muslim world has little going for it besides praying to "God" and oil (which is temporary and also uses English in business). So outside of mosques, Arabic will never be very important on the world scale. That and security/intelligence agencies because of religious extremism and terrorism.
Indonesian? Definitly not in our life times. There are a lot of people there and some oil, but that's about it. It has little international influence and is mostly a poor third world country with a less then desirable geographic situation.
Hindi would have more promise IF it wasn't overshadowed by English, which is widely used in the country for communication in politics and business among the many groups and languages spoken there.
<< I think that the use of Chinese will expand internationally, but I don't think it will achieve the same penetration that English has because its script and pronunciation are much more complex than English. Who will have the time to learn thousands of characters? >>
This is a valid point.
<< Some decades from now, *if* most of the scientific, technical, and artistic development has shifted from the West to China, educated non-Chinese (assuming there are any left at that time) will have no choice but to learn Chinese to participate in the international scene. >>
This is also a valid point. But it's a big "IF". I think we will see more of a west-east balance in science and culture than a full-on Chinese takeover that some claim will happen. Honestly, the US isn't going anywhere and Europe may further strengthen itself through a more integrated EU. We also have Russia, India and the growing Latin American countries/community to include in this complex equation also.
Bullshit ther are less than 30 million hispanics in the US and most them no longer speak spanish or behave like a hispanic they're now anglo-saxons.
You should read real stats.
Hispanics in USA:
US Census (officially): 45.5 million
Illegal Hispanics in USA: 10-12 million
Puerto Rico (associated State): 4 million
Students in USA: 6 million (conservative data)
So, there are 60-62 million people in USA (& Puerto Rico) that speak Spanish with different level of knowledge.
Hispanics in USA:
US Census (officially): 45.5 million
Illegal Hispanics in USA: 10-12 million
Puerto Rico (associated State): 4 million
Students in USA: 6 million (conservative data)
So, there are 60-62 million people in USA (& Puerto Rico) that speak Spanish with different level of knowledge.