Will all languages eventually merge with English
<<The world is too developed for that to happen. Education locks language into place, and prevents dialectical divergence.>>
Isn't English splitting up into separate languages even as we speak (or write)? I suppose some would argue that the US educational system isn't good enough to prevent US English from splitting apart.
How much time do you believe it will take to Ebonics to become a separate language?
<<Isn't English splitting up into separate languages even as we speak (or write)?>>
No. I doubt there will ever be anything more than cosmetic differences in the spoken language, around the world. This isn't the dark ages, almost everybody gets at least basic education.
Language only splits into seperate unintelligible dialects amongst uneducated populations, left in complete ignorance for long periods, with little contact with the world around them.
<<How much time do you believe it will take to Ebonics to become a separate language?>>
It never will. In my opinion, its on the decline.
<<Language only splits into seperate unintelligible dialects amongst uneducated populations, left in complete ignorance for long periods, with little contact with the world around them. >>
So French is the most likely language to fragment?
<< So French is the most likely language to fragment? >>
No, Spanish is the most likely language to fragment especially the Cuban, Puerto Rican, Chilean, Argentinian, and Uruguayan varieties. Actually those countries are asking the Afrikaners as consultant on how they were able to achieve linguistic independence because they're on their way of having their language independent from Castellano. ADIOS CASTELLANO, HOLA NUEVAS IDIOMAS HISPANICOS!
Already you have Haitian creole. It's not French but a different language. French can't really split too much because it's spoken only in France. We are talking about global language but obviously of one language as French is not global it can't really diverge because people who speak it are very close to each other. They all live in Paris and its suburbs.
lready you have Borriqueño, Cubano, Chilean. It's not Spanish but a different language. Spanish can't really split too much because it's spoken only in Spain. We are talking about language with numerous native speakers but obviously one language as is not widely spoken it can't really diverge because people who speak it are very close to each other. They all live in Madrid and its suburbs.
"ADIOS CASTELLANO, HOLA NUEVAS IDIOMAS HISPANICOS!"
>First of all learn proper Spanish you idiot, it's "Adios español, hola nuevos idiomas hispanos!"
<< First of all learn proper Spanish you idiot, it's "Adios español, hola nuevos idiomas hispanos!" >>
First of all learn how to gauge if the person is hispanophile you idiot, I'm anti-hispanic!"
<< First of all learn proper Spanish you idiot, it's "Adios español, hola nuevos idiomas hispanos!" >>
First of all learn how to gauge if the person is hispanophile you idiot, I'm anti-hispanic and I don't care about the Spanish language!
If you don't care don't use it. I would feel offended if you speak Spanish ,even bad Spanish.
As time goes on, the British and American English dialects are relatively divergent and are, in some cases, not mutually intelligible (think of someone who speaks Pittsburghese meets someone who speaks Cockney).
Even within America the language is splitting up: 200 years ago the only major dialectical differences were those brought over from the 'old country' (wherever that may have been). In the past hundred and fifty years the American English dialects have been splitting up.
Education does NOT lock language in place. It forces speakers to learn a standardized form, but that does not mean they adopt it as a native language.
<<not mutually intelligible (think of someone who speaks Pittsburghese meets someone who speaks Cockney). >>
What do you consider mutual intelligibility? If they took care to talk in a measured and standard way and not use slang etc would that still be mutually intelligible? Because if they did so they would definitely have no problems in communicating.
True, but that's not how they speak normally. That's not their native language (or dialect). They may be familiar or be able to reproduce "standard" enough English to be able to communicate, but that's hardly the form of English that is used in every day life.
The argument was that languages become "locked" by education. Yet, the fact that there are still speakers of Pittsburghese and Cockneye, Southern American English and California English and West Country, etc. and that these dialects are growing further apart shows that, yes, education plays an important role in maintaining a standard, but it hardly "locks" languages and prevents the development of dialects.
<<In the past hundred and fifty years the American English dialects have been splitting up.>>
No they haven't. If anything, the differences between spoken varieties have diminished. Theres no language barrier between native english speaking people anywhere in the United States....or the world even (save for a few exceptions).
<<The argument was that languages become "locked" by education. Yet, the fact that there are still speakers of Pittsburghese and Cockneye, Southern American English and California English and West Country, etc. >>
"California English", SAE etc... are for the most part just different accents.
<<and that these dialects are growing further apart shows that, yes, education plays an important role in maintaining a standard, but it hardly "locks" languages and prevents the development of dialects.>>
There has to actually be a language barrier (meaning no means of communication between large populations) to facilitate dialectical divergence into seperate "languages". With standard education, everbody can communicate with each other effortlessly, and the difference between spoken varieties are kept to a minimum.
What happened to Latin, is never going to happen to english.