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20.9.2012 4:42, Leonardo wrote:
English will not replace other languages in the world completely. Languages die hard. English has replaced other languages usually in situations where different linguistic groups have mixed together. It has been less successful in replacing languages of monoethnic states. Neither Esperanto nor Interlingua will be adopted by the EU. It would have happened by now if it was to happen. The leading states of the EU do not have interest for common language because their own languages (French, German, English, Italian, etc) are strong enough. Smaller states would benefit more from a common language, but they are not in charge of the matters, so they have no choice but to learn one or several of the major EU languages. In my opinion Esperanto is too artificial for the general public, and Interlingua is too Romance (i.e. too Latinate). Maybe a new tailor made constructed language for the EU could have a better chance, but the likelihood of success is low in any case. A loglan could serve as an auxlang in some very narrow domain. Languages like Lojban and Xorban here are too far from ordinary languages. They don't have a chance to become popular in all levels of society. And even if they did, which is unlikely, a large user base would soon destroy the "logic" in them through misuse. -- Risto Kupsala |