| There can be no doubt that the world in which we | | | | in 1887 with his publication of Esperanto. It was |
| live is becoming ever more globalised and that the | | | | formulated from all of the common European |
| driver for this phenomenon has been the advent of | | | | languages and had a strong revival in the 1950's and |
| technology such as the internet, IP telephony, fax | | | | 60's. It was never to gain universal popularity though, |
| machines, satellite TV and mobile phones. Although | | | | but to this day, it still has a following of up to 2 million |
| the cause may be apparent, the effects are ongoing | | | | speakers. |
| and no-one can as yet predict where they will take | | | | What failed to happen by design, however, might |
| us, however, the most apparent trend thus far, is | | | | well be happening by default. Looking at the two |
| globalisation's highlighting of language barriers. | | | | most popular internet languages we find that English |
| Globalisation has, perhaps for the first time in history, | | | | and Chinese top the league, we also find that both |
| brought together many disparate cultures, who to | | | | these languages are gaining ground globally. English is |
| date, may never have had any degree of cross | | | | of course, arguably, the de facto language for |
| cultural interaction. The first and most immediate | | | | international business and finance and together with |
| manifestation of this meeting of cultures has been | | | | German, the language of science and technology. |
| the sudden increase in the need for bilingual and | | | | Chinese, or more exactly the Mandarin dialect, is |
| multilingual personel. | | | | however, gaining ground. China has become the main |
| This stage in cultural interaction can be illustrated in | | | | engine of world trade and with its expanding global |
| microcosm, with the example of the European Union. | | | | partnerships and trade deals, comes the expansion of |
| The European Union has some 20 officially recognized | | | | Mandarin. The two continents where this is most |
| languages and when the European Parliament is in | | | | evident are the southern Americas and Africa, but |
| session, it requires the services of some 60 | | | | increasingly, Mandarin is a core requirement for the |
| interpreters for it to be able to communicate with all | | | | many global corporates establishing themselves |
| of its members. The whole organization actually | | | | within, or hoping to do business with China. |
| employs some 2,000 translators and interpreters in | | | | Whether we will witness the evolution of a common |
| total, to enable it to function at all. | | | | linguistic medium has yet to be seen. That languages |
| Although we are at the initial stage of the meeting of | | | | can gain such ascendancy is a matter of historical |
| cultures...that which necessitates translators and | | | | record...I cite the use of Latin throughout the ancient |
| language professionals, evolution suggests | | | | civilized world. Until that time comes though, we will |
| progression to another stage...that of a common | | | | continue to require the skills of bilingual and multilingual |
| medium of communication... and for its first | | | | professionals who can smooth the path between the |
| manifestations we need to look back into the past. | | | | present day linguistic diversity and a possible linguistic |
| A common second language as a medium of universal | | | | homogeny. |
| communication was first developed by L.L.Zamenhof | | | | |