biggest tragedy for each language?
What are the greatest setbacks experienced by the major languages?
English: collapse of British Empire, although it wasn't as serious as some other empire collapses (some would argue it was even a good thing)
French: collapse of French Empire, bad choice of colonies, the rise of English
Spanish: loss of Western USA and Texas, loss of Philippines, defeat in wars with USA and Britain
Russian: collapse of Soviet Union, loss of Alaska to USA
German: WWI and II defeat
Japanese: WWII defeat, economic stagnation since the 80s
Chinese: Mongolian subjugation
Catalan: colonisation of Catalonia and other Catalan speaking regions by Spain.
Dutch: loss of New Amsterdam, loss of South Africa, Belgian Revolution, loss of Indonesia.
"English: collapse of British Empire, although it wasn't as serious as some other empire collapses (some would argue it was even a good thing)"
The worst tragedy experienced by the English Language was the Norman Invasion of 1066
I forgot one
Dutch: the fall of Antwerp in 1585 (to the Spanish Empire).
Arabic: loss of Spain to the Reconquista
Chinese/the creation of characters
Chinese: loss of Nurkan (奴兒干都司), Sakhalin (骨嵬), Kuril Islands (苦夷), Kamchatka (流鬼), Tannu Uriankhai (唐努烏梁海), etc.
Igloo it's not right spain lost Western USA and Texas. Independient Mexico did.
Although there was a treaty about spanish rights about western usa and texas between Spain and USA, there was no treaty with Mexico so the same day Mexico indepented from spain, Usa began to plan how to get those territories.
Spain was forced to sold Florida to Usa, sell or war, and Spain lost Philippines and Cuba in defeat wars with USA.
Russian sold alaska to Usa.
And this is for Mallorqui:
Arabic: colonisation and conquest of actual Catalonia and other arabic speaking regions by Catalans. Arabic in those territories also did with latin, Roman did with phenician, Phenician did with ibero and so on.
Lenguages map is a living thing and lenguages evolute, develop, grow, birth other lenguages and die just as live does.
>>German: WWI and II defeat
That was maybe the biggest tragedy for the spread of the German language, but the biggest tragedy for its inner development is the socalled Rechtschreibreform.
Catalan: colonisation of Catalonia and other Catalan speaking regions by Spain. -----
don't laugh me, please. Your insignificant region was too weak just like Italy to conquer anybody or anyplace.
lol right. Barcelona is still reacher and more powerfull that Madrid.
In Barcelon it's allowed by the authorities to walk nude across the streets , and I'm not kidding. More than a few disturbed Catalans do this in the summer because they can't distinguish freedom from respect and good manners. Figure out to be in a bus in Catalonia in summer while one of these approachs to you. Some Catalans complain about this lack of basic civilisation:
http://blogs.expansion.com/blogs/web/saballs.html?opcion=1&codPost=54659
Definately I prefer Madrid where people know at least that they must be dressed while they cross the street, LOL.
I love naked people, particularly if they are young (more than 18) and beautiful! Barcelona must be my city :-)