tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187268977619381255.post196425250993338798..comments2008-11-29T19:29:02.435-08:00Ross Berryhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16473958898334702827noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187268977619381255.post-38006592147792047442008-11-29T19:29:00.000-08:002008-11-29T19:29:00.000-08:00Competition is a good thing. I hope a new, better language does evolve and become widely adopted. Maybe Esperanto will be the basis for that language.Ross Berryhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16473958898334702827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187268977619381255.post-53242693494967253322008-11-28T11:49:00.000-08:002008-11-28T11:49:00.000-08:00In answer to your question, the reply is that neither Mandarin Chinese nor "international" English will become the dominant global language.<BR/><BR/>I live in London and if anyone says to me “everyone speaks English” my answer is “Listen and look around you”. If people in London do not speak English then the whole question of a global language is completely open.<BR/><BR/>The promulgation of English as the world’s “lingua franca” is unethical and linguistically undemocratic. I say this as a native English speaker!<BR/><BR/>Unethical because communication should be for all and not only for an educational or political elite. That is how English is used internationally at the moment.<BR/><BR/>Undemocratic because minority languages are under attack worldwide due to the encroachment of majority ethnic languages. Even Mandarin Chinese is attempting to dominate as well. The long-term solution must be found and a non-national language, which places all ethnic languages on an equal footing is long overdue.<BR/><BR/>An interesting video can be seen at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU Professor Piron was a former translator with the United Nations<BR/><BR/>A glimpse of Esperanto can be seen at http://www.lernu.netBrian Barkerhttp://www.esperanto.netnoreply@blogger.com