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The Universal Language of the Future is Broken...
Brent R Antonson
 March 28 2025 at 01:54 pm
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As millions of people climb into the English language and begin communicating, it seems the universal language of the future is Broken English. English, with its 26 letters and 10 numbers, serves as a crucial medium for expressing thoughts and understanding our environment. Beyond artistic expression, a person without literacy may struggle to compete with their literate peers. Knowledge expands our capacity to form complex ideas, but without the framework of letters and numbers, articulating our intellect becomes a challenge, revealing our more primitive communication roots. English dominates roughly half of all online content, cementing its status as the digital age's lingua franca. Its global uptake dwarfs even constructed alternatives like Esperanto: over 400 million people actively study English today, compared to a mere few thousand fluent Esperanto speakers. Conceived in 1887 by L. L. Zamenhof as a neutral "international language" (la lingvo internacia), Esperanto aimed to bridge divides between the multilingual communities of Poland-Russians, Poles, Germans, and Jews. Yet despite its utopian ideals, the language remained confined to intellectual circles, never achieving the grassroots adoption needed to gain traction. Unlike English, which proliferated organically through trade and culture, Esperanto failed to secure even symbolic recognition, never ascending to the United Nations' roster of official languages. The structure of English stands apart from other Romance languages, exhibiting a unique grammar and syntax. Unlike languages such as French or Spanish, English does not require intricate verb conjugations or gender-specific articles. This simplicity allows for a broad and diverse vernacular, accommodating various dialects and colloquial expressions. While some concepts may be untranslatable into English, its adaptability often provides approximations, making it easier for speakers to communicate across cultures without the mental gymnastics that other languages might demand. The historical context of English's global dominance is rooted in colonization, which established it as the official or dominant language in 75 countries. Following World War II, as Europe focused on reconstruction, English emerged as the language of globalization and international trade. Today, it is the lingua franca across numerous fields, particularly in aviation, where all international pilots must demonstrate fluency in English. As the world increasingly embraces English, the future common language may consist of varying degrees of proficiency-essentially forming a tapestry of "broken English." This linguistic evolution highlights the global desire for English; it is sought after for its ability to facilitate understanding in cultural, historical, and business contexts. For native speakers, English allows for the enjoyment of subtleties, humor, and nuances embedded in the language. However, for non-native speakers, mastering English can present significant challenges. They often grapple with the complexities of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, which can lead to difficulties in achieving fluency. The irregularities of English spelling and the multiplicity of meanings for single words can further complicate the learning process, underscoring the vast gap between native and non-native speakers. Resources: Wikipedia ethnologue.com/guides/how-many-languagese dx.org/learn/eslverge.com quota.com/what-will-english-be-like-in-100-years babbel.com/en/magazine/english-accent-marks weforum.org/agenda/2016/12/these-are-the-most-powerful-languages-in-the-world statista.com/chart/12868/the-worlds-most-spoken-languages/ guidezdeaaz.com/en/is-the-supremacy-of-english-language-on-the-decline/

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