Hello! I am new here (and only 14) so forgive me for being ignorant (if i am) I just saw the topic “a national language” and i was wondering… what if there was a universal language. wouldn’t that be easier? I know it would be hard to get everyone to agree on what language everyone should speak, so that would be an obsticle to overcome. But I was thinking a new language. Sure it might be hard to make an entirely new language, but it’s been done before hasn’t it? how did they do it? any way I’ll leave it at that.
The master speaks on a purported international language:
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mesperanto.html
Check it out. Esperanto is probably the most successful artificial language created. Hundreds of others have been devised, and dozens have been tried.
Welcome to SDMB. Remember, there are no stupid questions.
[sub]but stupid people do ask questions[/sub]
[sub]no, I didn’t mean you. Yet. [/sub]
QTM
At this rate, it’ll be English
wow this board is very active. ok ill try the links
Qadgop,
I appreciate the compliment; however, I authored the mailbag article cited. In this case, “the Master’s minion spoke.”
Cheers!
Qadgop,
As a matter of fact, I am studying Mahayana Buddhism at the moment!
Cheers!
-Chip
I want to be a Yen Buddhist. They believe money is evil, so they amass large amounts of it, thereby keeping others from being tainted by it. Such selflessness.
French was actually the international language of diplomacy up until around 1910.
It is still the international language for postal services (which is why your air mail stickers should say “par avion”).
French, until at least December 9, 1999 was still prevalent as a diplomatic language. That was my last working day as a military passport/visa agent and I still had to bundle “note verbal” and other documents written in English and French for folks to get visas in their official passports.