# When are we going to get some new languages? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423 "2000-03-04T20:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423/21 "2000-03-07T15:07:00Z")
The French would lob bombs at our Webster’s before they would allow English to overtake the world’s languages. The first battle is being fought over in Canada. Let’s see how this turns out ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423/22 "2000-03-07T15:32:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Alphagene: > \*\*No, Klingon can’t be considered a real language. A real language is something one can pass on to one’s children. And since having children means getting laid, I don’t think Klingon will be around much longer. > \*\* OH MAN, DID I GET A GOOD LAUGH FROM THIS ONE !!! Thanks, Alpha…hot damn. VERY accurate slam you have there 🙂 Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_J\_Cunningham\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e79b87/32.png) [@Edward\_J\_Cunningham\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_J_Cunningham_1)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423/23 "2000-03-10T23:54:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The French would lob bombs at our Webster’s before they would allow English to overtake the world’s languages. > The first battle is being fought over in Canada. Let’s see how this turns out. English has already overtook French in the number of speakers worldwide. I think what you are trying to say is that the French would lob bombs at our Webster’s before they adopt English as the official language of France. I don’t think they have anything to worry about. France is a very large country, and French is still spoken widely throughout Western Europe. However, even the French understand the necessity of communicating in English to adress the international community. As far as Québec goes, I strongly suspect that (although they won’t admit it) that they have a bigger beef with the United States than with Canada. After all, it isn’t **Canada** ’s fault that English is pushed so strongly worldwide. In any event, I hope that Québec’s leaders understand the importance of teachers their citizens English **regardless** of whether their province secedes from Canada. 40% of Québecois cannot speak English, and that’s too much. Before I get flamed from indignant Canadians, I had better bring up the subject of Puerto Rico. I don’t know the exact percentage, but an equal or higher number of Puerto Ricans can’t speak English. Since the Spanish speaking population in Latin America (and even within the United States) is extremely large, I don’t think this puts them at as great a disadvantage as monolingual Francophone Québecois. However, I don’t think the American people will ever accept Puerto Rico as the 51st state unless the majority of the island’s residents speak English and the Puerto Rican government teaches English to children beginning in elementary school. Since this is extremely unlikely, I think that sometime in the 21st Century Puerto Rico will become independent… ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_J\_Cunningham\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e79b87/32.png) [@Edward\_J\_Cunningham\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_J_Cunningham_1)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423/24 "2000-03-11T00:05:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, this here internet thing is 98% English, and will likely remain that way, for matters of global importance. If you want to compete in the global job market, speaking English is a very important skill. > > And once globalization spreads the few major languages to nearly everybody, what incentive is there for people to learn the local language? Well, if the local language is pretty big, like French, Spanish, or German, I would say that’s sufficient reason to learn or retain the local language. Let’s say that you run a business in Québec City, and most of your clientele is Francophone. What language are you going to set your web site in? As the internet spreads further worldwide, companies will continue to use the local language to attract local customers. English will probably used in tandem, not as a replacement. The only languages I see that might be threatened by the internet may be Chinese or Japanese. Cecil has already explained the cumbersome procedure used to type Chinese characters. I wouldn’t be surprised if the internet causes a shift from traditional character writing to Pinyin and romanji. > [@](#): > > I know a bunch of people who took English classes in high school, over the other offered languages, because they wanted to join the internet community, or the modemming community as it was a few years ago. This trend will increase as they find themselves able to compete for information jobs in a much wider market than they ever could in their own language or physical location. Who are these people? Your profile says you hail from British Columbia, so I doubt these are Francophone speakers. (Correct me if I’m wrong.) I’m guessing that these are immigrants who are choosing to learn English as opposed to French… ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423/25 "2000-03-11T14:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by TNTruth: > . . . if you hopped in your time machine and visited Shakespeare, you would not need an interpreter . . . Well, yes and no. I’ve heard reconstructions of the pronounciation of Shakespeare’s English, and it’s a little difficult to understand. Furthermore, hard as it is to remember for someone who’s been reading and listening to Shakespeare’s plays for years, for many English speakers with no experience in reading anything other than recent books, Shakespeare’s grammar and vocabulary is a little difficult to understand. I think that we’ve only got about a hundred years left before most English speakers will require a modernized version of the text before they can read Shakespeare. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-we-going-to-get-some-new-languages/8423.md?page=1)