Overcoming the language barrier

[Nick]

Sitting here in a house listening to a bunch of migrant workers got me thinking how in the future will we bypass our current language restrictions.

Problem: No effective way for interpersonal communication between the human race.

Possible solutions:

1. Everyone effectively learns a universal language which becomes the global standard.
   
2. Integrated biological/technological computing allowing us streaming real-time of decoding another language, displaying (either verbally, in text, telepathically or otherwise), and real-time coding of our language into the decoded one. [much like google glasses on steroids]
   
3. Everyone has an mental connection to a cloud based arena allowing the free flowing of thoughts and ideas without the need to verbalize them, then again these thoughts would be in the native language, but mixed with computing power and the lack of an interface should make that a trivial problem.
   
4. New language based off of the cloud based mental lattice, language is derived from a base of mathematical expression for effective communication allowing for an seemingly exponentially infinite amount of ways to convey ones thoughts to another.

How would you get past the language barrier?

 

[Cognisant]

Learn the following in as many languages as you can: Who, what, why, when, where, how.

Also learn how to identify the difference between a question and a statement, in many languages this is carried in tone which is fairly universal and in toneless Japanese the addition of des-ka makes it a question. Then there's a lot of international nouns, especially brand names, so speak in a noun rich way so even if the other person doesn't know what you're saying they'll still have a fair chance of guessing. Finally use explanatory body language, if you're talking about transport mime riding a motorcycle, even make motorcycle sounds if you need to.

With all this you can talk to anyone from anywhere about anything, as long as the topic isn't too abstract, it's like a game of charades and the better you can cheat at charades the better you are at communicating without language.

 

[Duxwing]

Sitting here in a house listening to a bunch of migrant workers got me thinking how in the future will we bypass our current language restrictions.

Problem: No effective way for interpersonal communication between the human race.

Possible solutions:

1. Everyone effectively learns a universal language which becomes the global standard.
   
2. Integrated biological/technological computing allowing us streaming real-time of decoding another language, displaying (either verbally, in text, telepathically or otherwise), and real-time coding of our language into the decoded one. [much like google glasses on steroids]
   
3. Everyone has an mental connection to a cloud based arena allowing the free flowing of thoughts and ideas without the need to verbalize them, then again these thoughts would be in the native language, but mixed with computing power and the lack of an interface should make that a trivial problem.
   
4. New language based off of the cloud based mental lattice, language is derived from a base of mathematical expression for effective communication allowing for an seemingly exponentially infinite amount of ways to convey ones thoughts to another.

How would you get past the language barrier?

I'd choose option number four because it's Awesome, Yet Practical.

-Duxwing

 

[GodOfOrder]

Hence the reason many have created conlangs. But practically speaking, as wonderful as this would be, most people will simply keep the languages they are accustomed to, because for them this is more practical. Frankly, there is still a measurable disconnect between english speakers and english speakers, because spoken language is insufficient.

But ideas 2-4 seem to be something that will eventually happen anyway, though in multiple stages as technology increases. We all seem to be addicted to networking, so it is only a matter of time before we directly network our minds.

 

[Etheri]

Why would we need to create a new language? Everyone learns one and the same language... Chinese or english, perhaps?

 

[GodOfOrder]

Why would we need to create a new language? Everyone learns one and the same language... Chinese or english, perhaps?

Either way, human language is imperfect. How many misunderstandings have you had with somebody who already speaks your language? Words, even when used in the most objective sense, are still subject to different interpretations, hence miscommunication.

But the point of building a conlang, was to make a language that was easy to learn and be a universal combination of all of these severed languages. It is like undoing the damage of the tower of babel. Attempts have been made, and predictably they have failed.

 

[Etheri]

Either way, human language is imperfect. How many misunderstandings have you had with somebody who already speaks your language? Words, even when used in the most objective sense, are still subject to different interpretations, hence miscommunication.

But the point of building a conlang, was to make a language that was easy to learn and be a universal combination of all of these severed languages. It is like undoing the damage of the tower of babel. Attempts have been made, and predictably they have failed.

Oh I know. However, a new conlang will not be flawless. You'll still have misunderstandings, interpretations and miscommunications. Even if you create a perfect language, people will screw it over. Languages are living things, constantly evolving and developping at the whim of those who speak, and people themselves are imperfect.

Building a conlang is great, but it's only useful when people use this language to communicate. For this to happen, there need to be people being fluent enough in the language. This is a problem with most of the conlangs that have been 'created'. There is no incentive to learn them, because nobody speaks them to begin with.

Besides, learning basic communication in english is fairly easy compared to most other languages. (Mastering english is quite hard, but you don't need to be a literary genius to communicate with people, and i'll consider myself proof of that.) Lets not forget that learning gets easier when you have places to use your language, which again is more common for living languages than it is for any engineered language.

That all being said, if you'd manage to teach everyone a simple common language, it'd be a great advantage for common reasons. I just don't see it happening... Or rather, perhaps it already is, with english?

 

[GodOfOrder]

Oh I know. However, a new conlang will not be flawless. You'll still have misunderstandings, interpretations and miscommunications. Even if you create a perfect language, people will screw it over. Languages are living things, constantly evolving and developing at the whim of those who speak, and people themselves are imperfect.

Building a conlang is great, but it's only useful when people use this language to communicate. For this to happen, there need to be people being fluent enough in the language. This is a problem with most of the conlangs that have been 'created'. There is no incentive to learn them, because nobody speaks them to begin with.

Besides, learning basic communication in english is fairly easy compared to most other languages. (Mastering english is quite hard, but you don't need to be a literary genius to communicate with people, and i'll consider myself proof of that.) Lets not forget that learning gets easier when you have places to use your language, which again is more common for living languages than it is for any engineered language.

That all being said, if you'd manage to teach everyone a simple common language, it'd be a great advantage for common reasons. I just don't see it happening... Or rather, perhaps it already is, with english?

I acknowledge all the problems you have stated about a conlang. So while I have mentioned that this is what people have tried to do, I don't think it is a practical solution either.

It is just worth bringing into a conversation about the human language problem. The world is on its way to uniting under the banner of trade, and thus will probably end up speaking english or chinese. But this still does not address the real problem of human speech. We require something that is not a conlang or an existing language, we require something neither spoken nor written. We require a means to directly transfer information.

But sadly perhaps one single spoken language is the best we can do.