I am doing research for project study at school about whether having a real Universal Language would ever be possible in the future. My goal is to investigate if it is possible for everyone in the world to know one language (either as their mother tongue or as a secondary language) and can use it to understand one another.
There have been various attempts to artificially create a universal language, but as of yet none have achieved their intended purpose. English is often recognised as a global language due to its overwhelming presence as an official language in many countries and as a language used in business.
I wanted to get the opinion of other language learners, so I'd really appreciate it if you could share any opinions you may have on this topic. If you can, I would be grateful if you could also fill in a questionnaire I created (apologies for the fact that it's only in English):
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DNP6NWR
(Please copy and paste link in a new window)
Thank you!
I answered your survey.
A universal language would concentrate power in the hands of fewer people than ever. However, that seems to be the way the world is going. I am absolutely against a universal language for political and cultural reasons but it looks like it's going to be my one - English. We don't need more Anglo-Saxon values in the world and language relentlessly transmits values.
Esperanto is not connected to a culture and holds no appeal for me at all.
I would just point out that we are very close to having a universal global system of weights and measures. I'm a citizen of the United States so I'm blushing as I say that, but it is true.
The European Union has managed to create a regional currency. We are far, far away from having a global currency but it no longer seems like an absolute impossibility.
I don't think a world language, within 100 years, is impossible.
