At some time in our lives we are bound to encounter a German or Chinese or Japanese or Arabic, Russian, Italian, Dutch, Hindustan, Turkish, Urdu, French, Portuguese, Dutch, or Greek speaking foreigner whom we really need to speak to, if you haven't already, but was unable cross the language barrier. This seems to happen more and more everyday because of modern air travel and Internet business as well as foreign website which effectively caused the World to become a Global Village.
Often whilst browsing the Internet, I stumble on foreign websites that are completely incomprehensible to me but contend with the assurance that it is comprehensible to others who speak it as their mother tongue. Amongst these are German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Italian, Dutch, Hindustan, Turkish, Urdu, French, Portuguese and Dutch, most of them are Greek to me.
But regardless of this, something has to give. Somehow, Internationally we need to come to common terms and learn to speak a common World Language. But the Billion Dollar question is, which language. I remember when I was in Paris, my English was worthless, because everyone I tried to ask for directions in English, just conjured up a facial expression of disdain, refused to reply in English and just merrily continued speaking French or just walked away. The few lines of French I could speak didn't stand me in good stead at all.. My poor French pronunciation just made them burst out in laughter. A few years later in Madagascar I again tried my hand at French once again and achieved some success but the few lines I knew, just wasn't enough to have a soulful conversation with anyone. I just couldn't go around asking people for direction all the time just so I could speak some French.
Because of this experience I decided that the word "language" in Billion Dollar question above needed to be changed to "languages". Yes, instead of a single language to converse in Internationally, a few languages deserve that status. Let me qualify this statement: Firstly, a World Language is gauged by how many people internationally speak or learn to speak that certain language as a second language. Secondly its popularity can also be characterized by the number of native and second language speakers distributed geographically. Based on this it would be easy to decide which languages would be best suited for specific geographical locations. However, since all these languages mentioned are European Languages except for Arabic, it by no means diminishes the non-European languages, which most locals would prefer to converse with in anyway. The European Union has approved 23 world languages as official languages for their meetings.
But my 1st choice as an International Language is Spanish - It is spoken as the official language in 21 countries with a total population close to 500 million. Spanish is predominantly spoken Spain as a first, as well as all the countries on the entire west side of South America, Central America, Mexico, Cuba, the Canary Islands and the Philippines.
My 2nd choice as an International Language is English - It is classed as "one of the official language" in 137 countries but the bulk of the people in those 137 counties do not speak English as a first language, hence the total population of English speakers in the world borders around 450 million - but is speculated that 1.8 billion people or perhaps a few hundred thousand more can speak English. English is predominantly spoken in United Kingdom, Australia, Central America and Canada, and in pockets across many countries all over the globe, mostly as a second language.
My 3rd choice as an International Language is Arabic - It is classed as one of the official language in 26 countries with total population of Arabic speakers in the world around 350 million. Arabic is predominantly spoken as a first language in whole of Northern Africa, the entire Saudi Arabian Peninsula in pockets across the entire world. Both Farsi and Urdu use the Arabic script to write.
My 4th choice as an International Language is French - It is classed as one of the official language in 29 countries boasting a total population of French speakers in the world around 275 million. French is predominantly spoken in France, Canada and the Francophone countries in Africa. However most of these Francophone countries in Africa speak French as a second or third language.
My 5th choice as an International Language is Portuguese- It is classed as one of the official language in 9 countries with total population of Portuguese speakers in the world around 280 million. Predominantly spoken in Brazil, Portugal, Angola and the east cost of Africa, Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea as a first language. Portuguese on the other hand is similar to Spanish and to a degree mutually comprehensible.
So there, in sequence of most spoken by county and populations, Spanish, English, Arabic, French and Portuguese. Three of which are romance languages.
Often whilst browsing the Internet, I stumble on foreign websites that are completely incomprehensible to me but contend with the assurance that it is comprehensible to others who speak it as their mother tongue. Amongst these are German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Italian, Dutch, Hindustan, Turkish, Urdu, French, Portuguese and Dutch, most of them are Greek to me.
But regardless of this, something has to give. Somehow, Internationally we need to come to common terms and learn to speak a common World Language. But the Billion Dollar question is, which language. I remember when I was in Paris, my English was worthless, because everyone I tried to ask for directions in English, just conjured up a facial expression of disdain, refused to reply in English and just merrily continued speaking French or just walked away. The few lines of French I could speak didn't stand me in good stead at all.. My poor French pronunciation just made them burst out in laughter. A few years later in Madagascar I again tried my hand at French once again and achieved some success but the few lines I knew, just wasn't enough to have a soulful conversation with anyone. I just couldn't go around asking people for direction all the time just so I could speak some French.
Because of this experience I decided that the word "language" in Billion Dollar question above needed to be changed to "languages". Yes, instead of a single language to converse in Internationally, a few languages deserve that status. Let me qualify this statement: Firstly, a World Language is gauged by how many people internationally speak or learn to speak that certain language as a second language. Secondly its popularity can also be characterized by the number of native and second language speakers distributed geographically. Based on this it would be easy to decide which languages would be best suited for specific geographical locations. However, since all these languages mentioned are European Languages except for Arabic, it by no means diminishes the non-European languages, which most locals would prefer to converse with in anyway. The European Union has approved 23 world languages as official languages for their meetings.
But my 1st choice as an International Language is Spanish - It is spoken as the official language in 21 countries with a total population close to 500 million. Spanish is predominantly spoken Spain as a first, as well as all the countries on the entire west side of South America, Central America, Mexico, Cuba, the Canary Islands and the Philippines.
My 2nd choice as an International Language is English - It is classed as "one of the official language" in 137 countries but the bulk of the people in those 137 counties do not speak English as a first language, hence the total population of English speakers in the world borders around 450 million - but is speculated that 1.8 billion people or perhaps a few hundred thousand more can speak English. English is predominantly spoken in United Kingdom, Australia, Central America and Canada, and in pockets across many countries all over the globe, mostly as a second language.
My 3rd choice as an International Language is Arabic - It is classed as one of the official language in 26 countries with total population of Arabic speakers in the world around 350 million. Arabic is predominantly spoken as a first language in whole of Northern Africa, the entire Saudi Arabian Peninsula in pockets across the entire world. Both Farsi and Urdu use the Arabic script to write.
My 4th choice as an International Language is French - It is classed as one of the official language in 29 countries boasting a total population of French speakers in the world around 275 million. French is predominantly spoken in France, Canada and the Francophone countries in Africa. However most of these Francophone countries in Africa speak French as a second or third language.
My 5th choice as an International Language is Portuguese- It is classed as one of the official language in 9 countries with total population of Portuguese speakers in the world around 280 million. Predominantly spoken in Brazil, Portugal, Angola and the east cost of Africa, Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea as a first language. Portuguese on the other hand is similar to Spanish and to a degree mutually comprehensible.
So there, in sequence of most spoken by county and populations, Spanish, English, Arabic, French and Portuguese. Three of which are romance languages.
