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csziggy

(34,120 posts)
60. Let's all start speaking Esperanto!
Sun Jan 13, 2013, 04:04 PM
Jan 2013

I is intended to be a cross cultural language and already has a number of speakers, published works, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto#Geography_and_demography

That way we avoid the charges of cultural bias for a particular traditional language.

Why English? blogslut Jan 2013 #1
Because that's the only language the OP has been able to learn. FSogol Jan 2013 #182
Because this is DU: ellisonz Jan 2013 #193
LOL: "Hide it so MIRT can decide." FSogol Jan 2013 #194
That alert reminds me of my favorite language joke: FSogol Jan 2013 #195
. Orrex Jan 2013 #2
I will second that Angry Dragon Jan 2013 #5
... RKP5637 Jan 2013 #9
lol quinnox Jan 2013 #16
Don't bogart the popcorn... awoke_in_2003 Jan 2013 #64
why not English samsingh Jan 2013 #3
Why not Zoidberg? theKed Jan 2013 #169
it's not spoken by very many people samsingh Jan 2013 #184
to quote your avatar... keroro gunsou Jan 2013 #196
Spanish would make more sense arcane1 Jan 2013 #4
No it wouldn't. The OP said "WORLD" not US of America. vaberella Jan 2013 #35
Actually, Spanish is #2 blogslut Jan 2013 #44
But how many learn it as a second language? Confusious Jan 2013 #49
Hell if I know blogslut Jan 2013 #50
In terms of total number of speakers, Spanish is behind Chinese and English FarCenter Jan 2013 #103
Which is exactly what I was referring too.n/t vaberella Jan 2013 #127
Cool blogslut Jan 2013 #145
No it wouldn't Confusious Jan 2013 #48
Korean would make even better sense bhikkhu Jan 2013 #124
You are right...but they are adapting to Western culture more and more. vaberella Jan 2013 #129
English orthography could be readily simplified. Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #131
The International Phonetic Alphabet could be used FarCenter Jan 2013 #141
We can't even update the QWERTY keyboard Jenoch Jan 2013 #163
Thanks for posting this ... Most Americans couldn't even understand the simple metric system. I RKP5637 Jan 2013 #176
Well, the REST of the English-speaking world has at least gone metric. Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #181
Funny you should ask... Kalidurga Jan 2013 #135
Not really. Ask Brazil. WinkyDink Jan 2013 #175
OR we can continue strengthening our synapses by learning other languages BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #6
I was just reading a few days ago ... surrealAmerican Jan 2013 #29
Latin! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #7
How about you learn how to spell it correctly first. dipsydoodle Jan 2013 #8
You mean, spell with the extra (and unnecessary) "u"s? JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 2013 #178
ha ha dipsydoodle Jan 2013 #179
How about Chinese? It's the most spoken language in the world. eom BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #10
Is it? Mandarin or Cantonese? Orrex Jan 2013 #12
Mandarin and Cantonese are considered dialects rather than separate languages. BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #24
Anyway, what about the other question? Orrex Jan 2013 #27
What is the distinction? Elaborate. eom BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #34
Okay Orrex Jan 2013 #42
Strange, but from that same page BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #54
You're misreading the numbers Orrex Jan 2013 #62
I don't assert anything other than what I've read by BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #72
You're arguing a point that's been multiply refuted Orrex Jan 2013 #78
Maybe it's been refuted in your mind since it's about winning an argument for you BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #101
It's not "all about winning." That's a petulent objection. Orrex Jan 2013 #133
Yes, it's petulant. So why was that your objective? BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #168
It is typical of the person losing an argument to complain about the person winning the argument Orrex Jan 2013 #170
Someone who speaks canton can't understand mandarin Confusious Jan 2013 #99
My inclination for Chinese languages is to trust in the username of 'Confuscious'. randome Jan 2013 #105
Oh, I believe you completely. 100%. BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #112
YOU can look it up on the web. pangaia Jan 2013 #185
My experience in China, and having a Chinese wife, pangaia Jan 2013 #57
Spanish is easier to learn than English or Mandarin. pnwmom Jan 2013 #147
agree! I was trying to say rice and I was saying poop all because of the intonation lunasun Jan 2013 #155
Spanish is much easier than French or English to spell, because it doesn't have all those pnwmom Jan 2013 #157
Here you go blogslut Jan 2013 #31
Thank you for this. Mandarin BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #40
Well, more and more people *do* study Chinese War Horse Jan 2013 #19
True. On the other hand, imo, Spanish is the easiest language to learn BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #30
Spanish is easiest IF you speak English or another Western European language Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2013 #59
Wow. That was one intelligent student! BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #63
Interesting.. pangaia Jan 2013 #71
English is actually my second language War Horse Jan 2013 #65
American-English is my first language (born in the U.S.) BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #83
Interesting, indeed War Horse Jan 2013 #94
And not suited to being a lingua franca. Spider Jerusalem Jan 2013 #23
Many people believe the same thing about the English lang - as BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #61
I have a high school buddy Jenoch Jan 2013 #164
The problem with Chinese Confusious Jan 2013 #51
Holy Testicle Tuesday, I can work on my Chinese swearing! backscatter712 Jan 2013 #113
Too limited, too imprecise, too many regional variations, too difficult to learn. Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #151
That's true. I agree. eom BlueCaliDem Jan 2013 #161
I'm under the distinct impression that its various dialects SheilaT Jan 2013 #180
ugh Viva_La_Revolution Jan 2013 #11
Only if English gets rid of its crazy grammar, etc. LiberalEsto Jan 2013 #13
that is part of its charm quinnox Jan 2013 #14
The problem with that is dialects and regional variations as well as sound shifts... Spider Jerusalem Jan 2013 #25
Oh Scots or Cockney-perfect example of this all for one and why it doesnt go too far for speech lunasun Jan 2013 #156
Second that. DetlefK Jan 2013 #45
German has problems with "der, die and das" articles LiberalEsto Jan 2013 #76
So does English. Igel Jan 2013 #84
I call for a general Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #132
Um... LiberalEsto Jan 2013 #140
Special meeting of an Armistice Committee. Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #159
Sehr dank LiberalEsto Jan 2013 #173
There, their, they're, them?? loyalsister Jan 2013 #122
Or better - its completely arbitrary spelling bhikkhu Jan 2013 #123
The advantage of the Chinese system Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #160
Here is a list of words in English that might be problematic Jenoch Jan 2013 #165
The Tough Coughs as He Ploughs the Dough FSogol Jan 2013 #183
It already is a lingua franca in many respects War Horse Jan 2013 #15
who are we to say what the world's language should be? spanone Jan 2013 #17
I'd go for something retro... pinboy3niner Jan 2013 #18
How about Indo-European? arcane1 Jan 2013 #21
Some status quo proponents would say that that Tower of Babel is too damn short! pinboy3niner Jan 2013 #39
LMAO! arcane1 Jan 2013 #46
All Internet protocols are written in English Recursion Jan 2013 #20
What a horrible idea. nt. polly7 Jan 2013 #22
Esperanto MrScorpio Jan 2013 #26
I prefer Interlingua -- similar to Spanish with fewer quirks. hunter Jan 2013 #108
Once this thread sets the world standard, Speck Tater Jan 2013 #28
Chinese is coming up...and even our people are learning it to compete in the world market. vaberella Jan 2013 #32
If Chinese competes with English I would be surprised Confusious Jan 2013 #89
Actually... vaberella Jan 2013 #126
2 billion speak English Confusious Jan 2013 #134
Sounds like a path to illiterateship... pinboy3niner Jan 2013 #33
Yeah. Lets make English the world's *offical* language. redgreenandblue Jan 2013 #37
Somehow I don't think those morans War Horse Jan 2013 #69
Why not Engrish, it would be much more fun HarveyDarkey Jan 2013 #36
Why? It's difficult to learn, a hodgepodge of borrowings from other languages, MineralMan Jan 2013 #38
Someone once told me that English is a Germanic language War Horse Jan 2013 #55
That's pretty close. MineralMan Jan 2013 #77
Oh, how I know about the exceptions... :) War Horse Jan 2013 #109
2 billion people speak English Confusious Jan 2013 #90
I don't see the need for an official world language The Second Stone Jan 2013 #41
The world's marketplace already has designated English. former9thward Jan 2013 #43
I find it interesting that the few posts that express this point of view have NO responses. A HERETIC I AM Jan 2013 #189
I am no cheerleader for globalism. former9thward Jan 2013 #190
What for? sibelian Jan 2013 #47
Its easier to "conquer" when you take their culture/language away. darkangel218 Jan 2013 #52
How about we not "infer" what someone thinks? Confusious Jan 2013 #91
English is already being taught all over the world. darkangel218 Jan 2013 #100
"official" doesn't really mean much Confusious Jan 2013 #106
most of the world doesn't speak english bowens43 Jan 2013 #53
Non native speakers of English Confusious Jan 2013 #92
English is already pretty official davidn3600 Jan 2013 #56
IMO the thing that's holding Europe back... CJCRANE Jan 2013 #58
I don't think that is a problem. pangaia Jan 2013 #85
I'm thinking of the EU government... CJCRANE Jan 2013 #102
Let's all start speaking Esperanto! csziggy Jan 2013 #60
Esperanto draws on a few European languages. Igel Jan 2013 #96
I am dumber for having read this OP. (nt) Posteritatis Jan 2013 #66
Best answer Lithos Jan 2013 #75
Make it offical. nt awoke_in_2003 Jan 2013 #67
English is thoroughly laughable pseudo-language jpak Jan 2013 #68
Mandarin please. Coyotl Jan 2013 #70
So is Mandarin Lithos Jan 2013 #74
What an absurd notion Lithos Jan 2013 #73
Old joke I first heard in Europe: thucythucy Jan 2013 #79
Google is on the case. (Google translate) sadbear Jan 2013 #80
Yeah sure... 99Forever Jan 2013 #81
Why should people be encouraged to abandon their culture? Agnosticsherbet Jan 2013 #82
I hate the idea. Glassunion Jan 2013 #86
Many countries have the english language taught in their southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #87
yIDoghQo' bluedigger Jan 2013 #88
Actually, I think it is. RebelOne Jan 2013 #93
It kinda already is. Separation Jan 2013 #95
I'm okay with that. Imperial System of measurement too. cherokeeprogressive Jan 2013 #97
Esperanto, designed for just that purpose, much better than Spanish or Englis ProgressiveProfessor Jan 2013 #98
Esperanto is unnecessarily difficult for non-European language speakers. hunter Jan 2013 #120
There arw Jenoch Jan 2013 #104
But most of those people are not widely dispersed throughout the world. randome Jan 2013 #107
Actually, the Indians wouldn't disagree Confusious Jan 2013 #110
"English is an official language of India." War Horse Jan 2013 #115
I did not know that. Jenoch Jan 2013 #162
The best way to do it is to not do it MannyGoldstein Jan 2013 #111
I think the official language... actslikeacarrot Jan 2013 #114
Lol! I would vote for that! Confusious Jan 2013 #117
It's already the de facto world language in things like aviation Warpy Jan 2013 #116
There's a saying among translators War Horse Jan 2013 #118
Instead of promoting a single European... Puha Ekapi Jan 2013 #119
Whose English? And what would that mean? bhikkhu Jan 2013 #121
With thanks to Backscatter712 - GoneOffShore Jan 2013 #125
LOL limpyhobbler Jan 2013 #128
Which is it English or American? whistler162 Jan 2013 #130
I'm American I took English as a second language. Kalidurga Jan 2013 #146
Some good and bad DonCoquixote Jan 2013 #136
No, no, no! I vote for Spanish. English spelling is so effed up. raccoon Jan 2013 #137
How about we all sprout wings and fly around pooping cinnamon rolls for our hungry animal friends? dorkulon Jan 2013 #138
What? Force the teabaggers to learn a new language? Buns_of_Fire Jan 2013 #139
What would that mean? Would everyone be forbidden to speak any OTHER languages? n/t. Ken Burch Jan 2013 #142
No need to declare it an official language, it is already the language spoken in more places than hedgehog Jan 2013 #143
On the numbers, there's a far stronger case for making Mandarin the world language. n/t. Ken Burch Jan 2013 #144
English has been the language of international business for most of a century already Hekate Jan 2013 #148
All airline pilots must communicate in English. Historic NY Jan 2013 #149
It is already the de facto lingua franca (irony smiley goes here), so what's the issues? n/t Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #150
Absurd. n/t cheapdate Jan 2013 #152
I am sincerely hoping that you are joking when you say that the world speaking English would be Number23 Jan 2013 #153
If one wanted a more explicit language it should in fact be German not English. n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #177
Mandarin or Spanish unless your "world" is very very small and centrally located near you lunasun Jan 2013 #154
Your world must be small. 1.8 billion people speak English Confusious Jan 2013 #172
Waar heeft iedereen het toch over? cvoogt Jan 2013 #158
"...let's have English officially recognized as the world language." Jenoch Jan 2013 #166
There's no governing body to enforce that treestar Jan 2013 #167
meh... AsahinaKimi Jan 2013 #171
Hello? English pretty much IS the de facto world language. WinkyDink Jan 2013 #174
Um, no. a la izquierda Jan 2013 #186
+1000! Puha Ekapi Jan 2013 #188
Language is a unifier of culture within many cultures. AZ Progressive Jan 2013 #187
Really? We should be putting Anglo-Saxon culture in the ashbin of history. Name one people who RB TexLa Jan 2013 #191
The Peoples Front of Judea? A HERETIC I AM Jan 2013 #192
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