Global linguistic situation in 30 years (General discussion) Language Learning Forum

Global linguistic situation in 30 years
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30 messages over 4 pages: 1 2 3 4 Next >>

ManicGenius
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5481 days ago
288 posts - 420 votes

Speaks: English*
Studies: Esperanto, French, Japanese

Message 17 of 30

16 March 2010 at 12:25am | IP Logged

Deshwi wrote:

Isn't the world ending in 2012?

Nope, just a terrible terrible movie.
1 person has voted this message useful

The Blaz
Senior Member
Canada
theblazblog.blogspotRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5600 days ago
120 posts - 176 votes

Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish, Swahili, French, Sign Language, Esperanto

Message 18 of 30

16 March 2010 at 12:34am | IP Logged

ManicGenius wrote:

Subsequently Nigeria's economy becomes 100% relied on internet scams,
and as such Nigerian's learn English and Mandarin due to the economic vitality of the
languages and their renown for generally holding the worlds wealth.

In fact, spam-dependent economies have already been hitting the news...

Edited by The Blaz on 16 March 2010 at 12:34am
1 person has voted this message useful

datsunking1
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5585 days ago
1014 posts - 1533 votes

Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: German, Russian, Dutch, French

Message 19 of 30

16 March 2010 at 2:14am | IP Logged

ManicGenius wrote:

Alternate:

2015: People got way too obsessed with the movie Avatar and Na'vi took off as an international language.

*Shudder*... i really really really hope not

There's a whole forum dedicated to that one language. There's dictionaries and everything...
1 person has voted this message useful

tritone
Senior Member
United States
reflectionsinpo
Joined 6120 days ago
246 posts - 385 votes

Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish, Portuguese, French

Message 21 of 30

16 March 2010 at 4:30pm | IP Logged

Angola and Brazil will continue to grow economically, and Portuguese will be used increasingly in international business and become a more popular language of study.

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Paskwc
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5677 days ago
450 posts - 624 votes

Speaks: Hindi, Urdu*, Arabic (Levantine), French, English
Studies: Persian, Spanish

Message 22 of 30

16 March 2010 at 4:34pm | IP Logged

Tombstone wrote:

I think there is little doubt that English will fade over time.
The political, business and even military influence of the English speaking countries
has
been waning over the last two decades and will likely continue to do so.

Maybe, but English's future is bolstered by countries outside of the traditional
Anglosphere. One case in point, out of many, is India. The "elites" in India's
political, business and military spheres are very much Anglophiles. Members of lower
social strata don't resent this, but seek to emulate it.

Really, I'm convinced English has more going for it than any other language. The only
language I see coming even close is Spanish.

Edited by Paskwc on 16 March 2010 at 4:57pm
2 persons have voted this message useful

lichtrausch
Triglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5960 days ago
525 posts - 1072 votes

Speaks: English*, German, Japanese
Studies: Korean, Mandarin

Message 23 of 30

16 March 2010 at 4:52pm | IP Logged

ManicGenius wrote:

Not meaning to burst your bubble on that one, but SETI has been searching for at least 50 years and nada (except for a weird spike in the 70's). With recent developments of NASA funding and the like, I find this ever less likely. Theres a good chance that an extra-terrestrials that exist are either A) Behind us technologically and have no method of communication such as radios, B) Dead from disaster or war, C) Far outside the reaches of our communications equipment or D) So far beyond radio that we look as technologically sophisticated as that dog in the neighborhood that keeps eating its own crap. Granted theres always the possibility were alone in the universe, but thats too damn dismal for me.

I was thinking more along the lines that a space observatory like Kepler might spot a planet or moon worth looking closer at and then SETI could point its radar dishes in the right direction. However, on second thought SETI has probably already scanned the star systems that Kepler and co. are observing so its probably not a realistic idea. Anyway, the results from Kepler should be very interesting and teach us more about how to look for inhabitable planets.
1 person has voted this message useful

datsunking1
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5585 days ago
1014 posts - 1533 votes

Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: German, Russian, Dutch, French

Message 24 of 30

16 March 2010 at 4:52pm | IP Logged

Tombstone wrote:

"Na'vi"...the Klingon of the new millenium.

I think there is little doubt that English will fade over time.
The political, business and even military influence of the English speaking countries has been waning over the last two decades and will likely continue to do so.

I think that we will also see a real morphing of the English language. With the large Hispanic population moving to the United States, English will assimilate a huge number of Spanish words, phrases, and idiomatic expressions that will definitely change the flavor of English.

This is what has happened with languages throughout history and is something to be embraced, not lamented.

Those who overzealously push for the 'purity' of their language and protectionism against other languages are simply trying to hold back the sea.

I'm actually seeing the opposite, with a lot of Spanish speakers using English words.

"Voy al grocery" "estaba hablando with mi madre"

etc.

I was watching the show "dame tinta"

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