Lingua Franca

Lingua Franca is a language systematically used to communicate between persons not sharing a mother tongue/language,in particular when it is a third language,distinct from both person's mother tongue'language.

English is the current LINGUA FRANCA of international business,science,technology and aviation,and has replaces French as the lingua franca of diplomacy since World War 2.

Now my question..do you think English will be the lingua franca of diplomacy for much longer?Which language(s) have/has the best chances to be the NEXT lingua franca of diplomacy? Spanish/Arabic/Russian/Chinese...? Just curious about what everyone thinks

 

Just based on sheer numbers and influence it will most likely be China. Spanish may carry weight in the Western Hemisphere but outside of Latin America and portions of North America, it doesn't have the gravitas. I will say that Chinese is known to be difficult to learn, even moreso than English because of it's writing system and the fact there are multiple distinct dialects. Hindu might have a shot but India is much further away from superpower status that China (if it hasn't already) is seeking. It won't be Russian...just not enough native Russian speakers relative to the other languages and Arabic will NEVER get that crown as long as western interests are present. Xhosa will be a lingua franca before Arabic.

 

I think English will remain the lingua franca for the foreseeable future, but Mandarin will become increasingly important

 

I hope Chinese will be Linga Franca after I pass away.. I would probably need a life time to write Chinese halfway decent.Lol.

 

Well I think english will stay the lingua franca.

It is easy to learn for most people in the world, it is already more widly spoken and had it made to the second launguage in many countries.

 

No doubt English will stay.

 

I think that's good obviously as an American but we are handicapped because most of you that were born in other nations can speak more than one language. Be-You-Tiful is a prime example of a German who is fluent in a least 2 languages (i'm guessing more than that) and Nouharel is also fluent in more than one language. Many American secondary schools require that students take non-English language classes but we don't seem to retain it as much as kids in other nations retain English.

 

I do admire people fluent in several languages. One of the main issues in North America for retaining a learned language is the opportunity to practice. I have studied French for quite some time but because I haven't practiced daily I have lost a great deal of my ability to speak it. In my province, there are many French communities but it's actually quite a bit of work and time involved to seek out that practice.....

 

Many American secondary schools require that students take non-English language classes but we don't seem to retain it as much as kids in other nations retain English.

Because kids in other nations seek opportunity to USE the foreign language they`ve learned to speak.They either vacation in,study in,or go as au pair in the country of interest.Americans,if not in the military,will maybe learn a lanquage,but rarely take the chance to go and use it.

 

English will remain as a Lingua France, but Spanish will gradually take over due to its increasing importance in North America. Chinese will become important in Africa.
A mon avis.

 

Well my German is nearly perfect.My English is quite good(Most written here I do understand easily and from your responses I figure you understand me,too),my French is okay to have a somewhat decent conversation with(I did understand the essence of what Malcom wrote in his ""Hot girl from Germany"thread) and my Spanish is okay to have some small talk.Lol.Only 3 years intensive course from 11th to 13th grade in middle and high school