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Heroes Community > Tavern of the Rising Sun > Thread: Language barriers!@
Thread: Language barriers!@ This thread is 2 pages long: 1 2 · «PREV
Khaelo
Khaelo


Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
posted October 22, 2002 05:27 PM

Quote:

Would the loss of cultural heritage be so big as we fear it would be?

Wouldn’t we instead get a more broad scale for f.i. poetry.
Because in a few years we an as easily read the work of an African as we can from somebody from China or something.

At this moment we are confided to reading the books that are either native or translated.
Kind of a narrow perspective huh?


My experience with poetry is basically limited to Latin --> English.  On that basis, however, I think that poetry would definately lose out from a single language.  There are tricks and techniques you can pull in the Latin language that you simply cannot do with English, and vice versa.  Also, with the vocab:  how do you translate a Latin world like virtuitas (sp?)?  Sure, you can just say "virtue," but you lose the connotations of duty, family honor, and so on.  The rules of the universal language, whatever it may be, would limit future poetic expression to that particular language's quirks.  It would be kind of like telling people they can only paint in oil colors from now on...you'd lose all the inventive stuff people can do with watercolors, acrylics, etc.

You are correct, of course, in that using multiple languages restricts the audience of any particular work (unlike using multiple paints).  But one person is never going to be able to read all the great works of the world, even if they were all in the same language.  Heck, how many people are able to read all the great works of just their own limited language group now?  People who are motivated to read the masterpieces of another culture will learn the necessary language.  For the purposes of those who are not as motivated, a translation is probably "good enough."  For everyone else, who doesn't care, would they read, say, the Qu'ran even if it were written in their own toungue?

Finally, I'd like to restate a relevant comment that was buried within piles of non-relevant junk and is now in the dustpan :  Learning a second language forces a person to think about things like grammar and word choice in a different way.  Being more aware of the mechanics of language in general can potentially help a person use their native language more effectively.

So, essentially, I think that if we're talking about broadening horizons, multilingualism works better than a universal language would.

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privatehudson
privatehudson


Responsible
Legendary Hero
The Ultimate Badass
posted October 22, 2002 05:35 PM

I didn't geuss, or ask L_K. If you go to mamma.com and search for lithuanian dictionaries then select the 1st link it takes you to an online one.
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hobgoblin
hobgoblin


Known Hero
captain hobgoblin
posted October 22, 2002 06:28 PM

Hexa, it cannot work like it. If you, I mean people all around the world, try to teach a universal language to their children, so as these ones don't have language barriers anymore, they try to force evolution, and it cannot work for many reasons.
First, I can imagine that one day everyone around the world will speak a same language, and that dialects will not reappear as soon, but for that, physical distances must desappear. I must telecommunication around the planete must be much more effective than it is now. If you try to do that everyone speak the same language in less than 100 years (I take it for example), I think that then many dialects could reappear.
Secondly, the problem of the poor thirdworld should be resolved before, if it isn't then the thirdworld will be segragated (as I don't remember who said).
And the strongest reason is that most people in the world are not ready to give up their language, even for their children. Then there would be a lot of rejection for the language we would try to impose, there would be a significant growth of nationalism etc.
So I say, let the history do it by itself.
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Snogard
Snogard


Known Hero
customised
posted October 23, 2002 09:54 AM

Quote:
Hmmmmmmm I'm geussing it's because Japan largely Isolated itself from the rest of the world for centuries and was only ever conquered once to my recollection in 1945 (though my asian history's kinda rough so please feel free to correct me)


Hmmm.... that's a reasonable explanation!

Quote:
For Japanese people (tell me Snogard if I'm wrong...) the roots of the tree symbolize : the origine / the source / the wisdom. So the same kanji has a different meaning according to the sense of the sentence.


Er... something like that.  I can tell you more if you're interested, but better do it through IM.



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thunderknight
thunderknight


Promising
Famous Hero
posted October 23, 2002 06:40 PM

An universal language : possible. Language is basically a tool for communication (the major function). Actually, nowadays, more and more ppl can "use" English (be it American English or English English or whatsoever). And maybe 'internet language' will evolve into such one.

But for an "one and only one" universal language : impossible !! at least in future 100 yrs(after that we human being is replaced by robot and using the single mechanical language)

It sounds contradictory, but not.

For example, I know how to "use" English (well, not very effectively ) to communicate. To me, English is only a tool (no offense) and I don't know how to appreciate the beauty of English and maybe never have the intention and initiative to learn that.

If for a single universal language to appear and eliminate all other languages, the following conditions must be fulfilled :-

ppl must be willing to give up their own language
- voluntarily : why will they do so ???
- involuntarily : who has such a power to do so ???
(I don't think God has the intention of doing so)


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Wolfman
Wolfman


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Insomniac
posted October 24, 2002 06:26 AM

And who would teach such a language?
-The government: Why?

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bizud
bizud


Known Hero
Mighty Donkey
posted October 24, 2002 11:26 AM

If you want my opinion, diversity is a GOOD thing.  Lots of languages never really bothered me.  Now, maybe I'm a bit biased in that I speak three languages in a country where most speak 1, and have a fairly good grasp of latin/greek roots.

But, here's the real deal:  Why is latin so hard to learn?  Because its a dead language.  No-one speaks it, at least not as a first language.  And no, Romansch doesn't count.

Our history is WORTH preserving.  Hey, I admit I'm not proud of slavery, genocide, barbarism, etc., but those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.  And, if everyone on earth spoke only one language, all those stupid people who watch "Foreign movies" because "Subtitles are COOL" would have nothing to do!

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Wolfman
Wolfman


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Insomniac
posted October 24, 2002 02:37 PM

At school people were trying to convince the teacher that we didn't need to study history.  I just sat back and listened to this nonsence.  When they were just about done I started laughing to myself and no one knew why except the teacher, who didn't yell at me because she felt the same way.  
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The_Gootch
The_Gootch


Honorable
Supreme Hero
Kneel Before Me Sons of HC!!
posted October 24, 2002 05:59 PM

I think that all of you are missing the inevitibility of English becoming the dominant universal language.

And when I say 'universal', I mean UNIVERSAL.  Hell, on all of those sci-fi shows I grew up watching, even the most monstrous and disgusting looking aliens were proficient with English.  And, most of them spoke with nary an accent.

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privatehudson
privatehudson


Responsible
Legendary Hero
The Ultimate Badass
posted October 24, 2002 06:03 PM

Accents always exist, just look at the difference between an American, English and Australian Accent! Besides which the unfortunate thing is that the "English" that is becoming more universal is far too close to what we brits like to call "American". And yes there ARE differences!
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tuapui
tuapui


Famous Hero
Poetic Psycho Baby BlackDragon
posted October 24, 2002 06:09 PM

Ever heard of Singlish>? it is the native language of the distant land of Singapore where there are no natural disasters and no seasons all year round. Yes the language includes much unknown terms, though claimed to be british system. Campaigns run wild in the city. SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH they say. Oh wellz. If you heard singlish b4 you noe wadd i mean. Or even better if youse from singapore, you probrably noe whad "lah" is.
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Khaelo
Khaelo


Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
posted October 24, 2002 06:16 PM

Latin used to be a "universal" language in its known world, too.  When the political power behind a language falls, the language itself will eventually fade as well.  It's not so much a universal language thing, I think, as a convienent lingua franca thing.  When no one is supporting a certain language anymore, another language becomes more convienent.  It happened to Latin; it will happen to English.

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Wolfman
Wolfman


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Insomniac
posted October 24, 2002 08:30 PM

Quote:
Accents always exist, just look at the difference between an American, English and Australian Accent! Besides which the unfortunate thing is that the "English" that is becoming more universal is far too close to what we brits like to call "American". And yes there ARE differences!


Yes there are huge differences.
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whinie_the_b...
whinie_the_behemoth


Adventuring Hero
grrrrr!
posted May 14, 2003 03:06 AM

aye aye, if we all adopted one language that means all others would become dead, sooner all later. There are hundreds of languages, like yours or mine that would get unused, along with all the wisdom they offer. Past literature will become unreadable and future literature just too much alike. The universal cultural cost would be too much for such convenience if you ask me. Besides english is becoming more and more universal and with the help of the internet we are going to be able to communicate much more easily.
so, i have to say no, non, nein, nee, ï÷é, etc etc

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