If only 6 languages survive this world, which will they be?

Oh, by the way, perhaps I am on the wrong wavelength, but I cannot envision linguists accepting sign language or computer language as languages in their own right... they are sure to argue that they are something lesser seen as neither has grammar or spoken communication. Both will survive, no doubt, but I suspect that the average Cambridge don would not have thought of those.

I agree with Craven.

The subject is interesting, and good for debate. It has some "obviously wrong" answers, but no "correct" ones.

In any case, BBB, you are using "linguists" as an "argument of authority".
That's not congruent with many of the views you have expressed.

With this, I go back to my original phrase: languages are living beings, many more than 6 will survive for several centuries.

You're right, fbaezer. Another thing -- as living things, languages not only evolve, they also mutate. And there is an uncommon amount of hybridization that goes on. On first appearances, Papuan Pidgin is just a bastardized English (all pidgins are bastardizations of a sort). Yet it is incomprehensible to anyone who speaks only standard English and standard English is pretty much incomprehensible to the Papua-New Guinea native. The entire sentences structure, grammar and syntax have changed, not to mention new uses for words that seem to be regular English. So, if, in the distant future, we say we have only six languages but find that a pocket of pre-technological tribes are still speaking their Pidgin, do we just call that an English dialect for the sake of convenience?

fbaezer, you, no doubt, are familiar with the brand of Spanish they speak down on the Yucatan peninsula. To the non-Spanish speaker it sounds like Spanish. But if you don't know a good deal of Mayan, you'll not understand much.

Hi dròm_et_rêve,



Thanks for the lead-in... I was going to ask "yes, but WHICH sign language?" Signed languages are not universal. There are as many different signed languages as there are countries.

That said, American Sign Language for one IS an actual language, with all of the requisite grammar, etc. (Can provide links if requested.)

To all
All of you are correct in your critiques of my use of the term "correct." I used that term only because I was relying on a published report from members of the linquistic professional society.

I would appreciate it in the future if anyone spots an unwarranted mandatory correctness I didn't recognize in a proposition I proposed based on someone else's expertise, let me know and give me an opportunity to adjust it, if possible. Then we can all enjoy the search for knowledge.

I was surprised at their list for the same reasons you all express doubt. For instance, the planet could suffer another plague, or a huge rock from space could destroy an entire continent. Untold natural events could wipe out a particular language speaking populatioin.

I was especially surprised that French was among the six languages. But after thinking about it, I thought its possible because of literature, culture, etc.

At this time, it may help to name the last language. Number 6 is Hindi.

BumbleBeeBoogie

There is also the language of music.

On the first production of the Jazz series on PBS produced by Martin Scorsese, there was a segment on the cane flute in which it was mentioned that slaves were forbidden to play the drums, as they could be used to convey messages.

Ddiane
Diane, the definition of what is language just keeps expanding as we think outside the box, as you just did.

BumbleBeeBoogie

Ah, although I completely disagreed that within a few hundred years, I thought Hindi (Urdu).. 480 million people from the Indian subcontinent cannot be wrong! I somehow doubt that Russia and the German speaking nations will lose their languages, when they are very important to both them and to the world at a whole.

Hey sozobe, thanks for responding. Although I agree that sign language is bound to survive, I would not argue that it is a language in its own right, as basically it is a means of replacing the sounds of one language (English, Spanish, French) with actions; it is, to me, like Braille or the written word: as I write this message, my words are in English but my way of communicating is via type. The written word is not an attempt to create a new language, but rather a way of communicating an old one. In this way, actions do not intend to create a new language to replicate an old one. That is why I consider sign language not a language but a means of communication. As for music... interesting. It is true that African tribes used the drum and other instruments to carry messages: nevertheless, I would put this on line with Morse Code or Smoke signals.

By the way, I would love to check out the information on its grammar...

dròm_et_rêve
dròm_et_rêve, welcome to Able2Know, glad to have you here.

Re sign language, I think its hand signs are universal for all languages.

I saw a documentary several years ago about the deaf in isolated villages in South America developed a sign language of their own. They had not been exposed to international sign language and "reinvented the wheel". Clever people.

BumbleBeeBoogie

I'd be interested to know the reasons behind everyone's choices. Mine are tongue in cheek but fbaezer's are really good choices because of the criteria and thought he put into it.

Here are mine :-)

English (Because my words are immortal. Plus the whole it being the most powerful (think culture as a war) language in history.

Spanish (If any reigion can survive a nuclear holocaust it's South America).

Chinese (Big numbers and an ascending nation).

French (Due to the inexplicable devotion to this language in many quarters. Pretty much everywhere that European culture is seen as more sofisticated than American Culture, movies make English less exotic, the whole world knows the 'F word'. I guess it's less "inexplicable" than I thought).

Future language or mix (See fbaezer's post.)
Future Language or mix (See fbaezer's post.)

Right language, wrong reason.

But anyway, it riminds me of what an Argentinian friend told me in the mid 80s, in the midst of nuclear war paranoia:
"If there's a nuclear war, the only country left will be Argentina. And Borges, who is also blind, will be the new Homer".
As a good Argentinian, he forgot about other possible survivors: Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and even Australia.

Re: dròm_et_rêve
I would LOVE to sink my teeth into the sign language stuff, but I need to go. Here's a starting point:

http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/excerpts/SVASLone.html



No. Even basic things like thumbs-up are not universal, but those are not signs. I tried to learn British Sign Language when I livedin England, and it was really tough for me. COMPLETELY different than ASL. They used some of the same handshapes for different meanings, which also really threw me; when they said the letter "H", I saw "nice". Etc.

ASL is a bona fide language.

LOL, in my pet theory Australia's ozone problems are exacerbated by the all out nuclear war and they have to abandon the country. I want the bunny to have to move.

Soz,

I think she is saying that gesturing (if not gestures themselves) is universal.

But I hear ya about ASL, it has been recognized as a language despite what individual criteria is.

Sorry if that was too brusque. What did you mean, BBB?

We shall carry brollies! Or launch a giant one into space.

Where would we move TO, pray tell? And WHY do you want me to have to move?

Mexico City can always export some leftover ozone to Oz.

Thought you'd be needing it for Chile and Tierra del Fuego and such?

So - what is the right reason Spanish will survive, Fbaezer?