General Chat

Wouldn't it be easy if everybody in world spoke a "universal" language alongside their local language. So that they could speak and write in at least 2 languages.

Two major world languages currently are English and Mandarin (both spoken by 1.5bn people). Then Spanish, French and Hindi (500m approx each). No other languages have more than 300 million speakers.

Which would be your language for world acceptance?

Why would I want to speak and write in any other language....English is fine

Hasn't that been tried before John?

Esperanto a dismal failure!!

There never could or would be a second language accepted by all
IMO

Jax. I think many want the language to be English and that has certainly become very popular with about 20% of world speaking it. But Mandarin is also spoken by same number.

Lolly. Yes, Esperanto was a good idea but very few speak it.

My favourite would be backslang (Cake-a genals) which I remember was spoken with some fluency by butchers in London area 50 years ago. Like to see French forced to learn that at school :-D ;-)

How many countries have you been to where they speak to you in Mandarin? I can only think of one out of the 20 countries I have been to, ...but they all spoke English

The dominant language is linked to the greatest Might, both military and ecomically.

Once upon a time you needed to have a working knowledge of Latin to suceed within the Roman Empire, and most recently English because of the now defunct British Empire, and the current American Economic influence over the World's finances.

Will Mandarin or Cantonese one day take precedence? Possibly. A cousin in NZ says that the children are taught Mandarin as their Foreign Language in school. If this is correct, then may be they know something that we don't? It could become the language of commerce in the future.

In an ideal world, something like Esperanto as a Universal language of communication between nations would be wonderful. However, as Jax said, been there, tried that and not enough takers. :-0

Hmmm let's think? If you include America, Australia and the majority of New Zealand and English speaking Canadians is has to be *fanfare* English.

I doubt that Mandarin would be useful for a couple of decades because that's about how long it would not only take to learn it but write it too.

India is becoming a serious contender in the tech industry for programmers. They learn English along with their technical degrees.

Apologies to other countries who have English as a main or dual option.

There couldn't be another serious option.

Well, there is one, Sue ;-) Perhaps not. We don't want yet another Welsh thread :-(

Shut up John, the words 'cat in hell' swiftly come to mind, plus if you are looking to be mullered again go for it. I have a first aid box at the ready.

:-D :-D :-D

Won't get mullahed for suggesting backslang. Seen the size of those Smithfield bumarees?

Well, there is one, Sue Perhaps not. ;-) We don't want yet another Welsh thread :-(

You got two hopes Bob Hope & no hope

Although I lived and worked in London in between living in Germany and Spain I have no idea what backslang is!

Maybe John is getting confused with his scouse ancestors

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/scouse/talk/backslang.shtml

Sue. It was running words backwards. Seemed to be mainly to confuse customers.

Two old butchers I worked with would be as pleasant as anything with "modom", and would be telling her what a special cut of meat they had saved especially for Modom - all the time chatting to his mate in front of modom about the old bit of scrag that they could finally shift. Commenting on her nice "rape of gels" (pair of legs)

They had a chuckle privately. And modom enjoyed the personal service, scraggy bits often cooked up better, and she always came back for more :-D

Wonder if they still use backslang in these pc days?

There's heck of a lot of Double Dutch spoken on GR !

Lot of Tom Tit aswell :-D

Jax. Liverpool as well. Didn't know that. Article says it may have been a Romany thing. It was Wandsworth I picked it up - but both old butchers had been Smithfield trained and learnt it there. And the old Fruit & Veg Manager spoke it too. Coffe breaks were hell, cos I had no idea what they were on about:-(

Sandie :-D :-D

Victorian costermongers spoke backslang in London. :-) I think

Some people would tell you that Aussies don't speak English :-0

They may be right.

We speak Strine :-D

Scozz it's close enough ;-)