# A universal language? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 26, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142 "2001-08-26T01:49:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ACEa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71c47a/32.png) [@ACEa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ACEa)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/1 "2001-08-26T01:49:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/2 "2001-08-26T01:55:36Z")
The master speaks on a purported international language: [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mesperanto.html](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 ---
**Author:** ![fecal\_nugget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b38774/32.png) [@fecal\_nugget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fecal_nugget)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/3 "2001-08-26T01:56:59Z")
it’s been tried: [http://www.esperanto.net/info/index\_en.html](http://www.esperanto.net/info/index_en.html) ---
**Author:** ![gorewonfla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@gorewonfla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gorewonfla)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/4 "2001-08-26T01:57:50Z")
At this rate, it’ll be English ---
**Author:** ![ACEa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71c47a/32.png) [@ACEa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ACEa)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/5 "2001-08-26T02:02:42Z")
wow this board is very active. ok ill try the links ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/6 "2001-08-26T02:09:20Z")
Qadgop, I appreciate the compliment; however, I authored the mailbag article cited. In this case, “the Master’s minion spoke.” Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/7 "2001-08-26T02:21:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*Qadgop, > I appreciate the compliment; however, I authored the mailbag article cited. In this case, “the Master’s minion spoke.” Cheers! \*\* The master has entrusted you. You speak with his voice. You are [bodhisattva](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=boddhisattva). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/8 "2001-08-26T14:54:28Z")
Qadgop, As a matter of fact, I am studying Mahayana Buddhism at the moment! Cheers! -Chip ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/9 "2001-08-26T21:38:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Stewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/10 "2001-08-27T02:17:07Z")
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”). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-universal-language/78142/11 "2001-08-27T03:34:34Z")
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.