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I'll respectfully disagree here. English is one of the worst choices for a latin alphabet based lingua franca, as a mix of germanic and romanic languages, with

I'll respectfully disagree here. English is one of the worst choices for a latin alphabet based lingua franca, as a mix of germanic and romanic languages, with inconsistent to non-existent rules, differences between sound vs written character. It got its current status by piggybacking on 2 empires, with a bonus of hollywood for planetary indoctrination. I've seen a few languages lose lingua franca status in their subdomains in my liftime: French as the ex-language of political power in Belgium, and German as the ex-technical documentation language. In fact, seeing more and more Chinese appear in electronic spec cheats, I've wondered if such a change isn't already happening for English. As always, the cultural core of the power in vogue will be the last to notice the disappearance of status. There was a document regularly appearing here on HN: The fate of empires, linked below. If you follow it's rules, you'd expect a new power appear out of nowhere. So for a new lingua franca, we just can't predict what will be the choice, but the existing big languages might be the worst candidates. I believe English will be lingua franca until a new empire will rule the world. If the USA disappears and balkanization follows, English will have a long life. But if a global invasion from a new culture comes, English is done for. http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/glubb.pdf http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/glubb.pdf

tharkun__ 3y ago
I'll respectfully disagree here. English is one of the worst choices for a latin alphabet based lingua franca, as a mix of germanic and romanic languages, with inconsistent to non-existent rules, differences between sound vs written character. It's funny though how English, despite basically being a language of "every second word is an exception" is still so easy to learn? French is much harder. German is much harder. In Chinese (and Arab) you not only have to contend with a different alphabet to learn but (at least for Chinese - don't know for Arab) also a completely different style of putting these symbols together to make sense. English at least shares that with other Euro languages and even if you get the structure a bit wrong (you can easily tell German or French sentence structure in an English sentence in many cases) it's still easy to comprehend well enough. What I do think though is that Chinese or Arab might still take over simply because of numbers of speakers of them being more and dispersing and taking over that way. Firefly universe style.
- hyperman1 3y ago
  Seriius question:. How do you compare easy to learn? Afaik, the main thing English has going for it is massive exposure, originally by TV/Hollywood. But if you watch e.g. French or German TV programming long enough, you'll pick up the language soon. I think English succeeded despite its downsides, for geopolitical reasons.
  - tharkun__ 3y ago
    I have one anecdotal piece of evidence: me :) I picked up English very easily despite all the "oh it's all just exceptions". It feels natural even. Latin on the other hand took much more effort. French I never could quite get through. Reading sorta works sometimes given Latin, English and German knowledge. The whole language sorta always feels weird though. Can't bring myself to even try any longer.
- MandieD 3y ago
  English seems to be a lot more fault-tolerant than German. I've come to see it as jazz (English) vs. classical music (German). Either that, or native English speakers are lazier than native German speakers, and would rather work out how a non-native speaker is trying to use our language than try to understand that other person's language or a third language we both kind of speak.

tharkun__ 3y ago

I'll respectfully disagree here. English is one of the worst choices for a latin alphabet based lingua franca, as a mix of germanic and romanic languages, with inconsistent to non-existent rules, differences between sound vs written character. It's funny though how English, despite basically being a language of "every second word is an exception" is still so easy to learn? French is much harder. German is much harder. In Chinese (and Arab) you not only have to contend with a different alphabet to learn but (at least for Chinese - don't know for Arab) also a completely different style of putting these symbols together to make sense. English at least shares that with other Euro languages and even if you get the structure a bit wrong (you can easily tell German or French sentence structure in an English sentence in many cases) it's still easy to comprehend well enough. What I do think though is that Chinese or Arab might still take over simply because of numbers of speakers of them being more and dispersing and taking over that way. Firefly universe style.

hyperman1 3y ago
Seriius question:. How do you compare easy to learn? Afaik, the main thing English has going for it is massive exposure, originally by TV/Hollywood. But if you watch e.g. French or German TV programming long enough, you'll pick up the language soon. I think English succeeded despite its downsides, for geopolitical reasons.
- tharkun__ 3y ago
  I have one anecdotal piece of evidence: me :) I picked up English very easily despite all the "oh it's all just exceptions". It feels natural even. Latin on the other hand took much more effort. French I never could quite get through. Reading sorta works sometimes given Latin, English and German knowledge. The whole language sorta always feels weird though. Can't bring myself to even try any longer.
MandieD 3y ago
English seems to be a lot more fault-tolerant than German. I've come to see it as jazz (English) vs. classical music (German). Either that, or native English speakers are lazier than native German speakers, and would rather work out how a non-native speaker is trying to use our language than try to understand that other person's language or a third language we both kind of speak.