The Future Of Languages

Everything changes.  There are cultural changes brought about by discovery, invention, diffusion, colonization and rebellion.  If language is said to be rooted or transmitted in culture, therefore, it would be safe to say that language also changes. Languages change when its phonetic, morphological, semantic, syntactic and other features also change.  

All languages change.  Linguists have examined that the existing languages are based or derived from the older languages.  This would show how society and social changes would have impact or influence on language.  For example, before Latin was part of the National Curriculum.  But as of the present, nobody spoke it since it was perceived to be old and archaic.  But linguists cannot deny its major influence on present languages. 

Before, there was a prevailing idea that English would emerge as a world language.  But according to language British experts, people are more likely to learn not only English but other languages, as well.   English has become not the leading language, but a second language, according to the Journal Science.  What we are heading to is not a monolingual culture but into a multilingual one.   Language diversity is something which can be waiting for us in the future. 

Let’s take the internet for example.  It has become multilingual.  In 1995, 90% of it was in English.  When 2000 arrived, 75% was in English.  When 2003 arrived, English was not only the language visible on the internet.  Chinese and Africans were already online. This simple example could reflect that the world in becoming more multilingual. 

Some linguists like Stephen Anderson from Yale recognizes that multilingualism is something normal or natural.  This is the normal condition of the people since culture and society is also diversified.  However it is not correct to say that because society is multilingual in nature, then we should avoid learning other languages and stay with what language we know.   Actually, learning other languages has become an advantage in an era of globalization.  This would be an advantage when you are after a better education and career opportunity.   

Another interesting future that language would face would be the development of technology. There are different translation programs that are able to translate documents in 6 major languages.  Although, it is not a hundred percent perfect, the versions being released commercially are improving. 

These programs would soon pave the future where it is possible to talk into different languages where computer programs would help in translations and conversations. Although, computers where programs like these could be installed may not be portable enough, it would eventually be in a few years time. But these programs would not be replacing translators, they would still be needed to learn and create the programs. 

There are experts who say that identifying the dominant language in the future is difficult. Since everybody has its biases. Even the claim that multilingual would be the language of the future, is being disputed.  Some still claim that English would be the dominant language.  

The bottom line is that world language is changing and nothing can stop that.  Changes in communication are happening nowadays.  All of these because of the changing demographic trends, technology and international communication.  These changes are manifesting not only what we are speaking but also in what we are writing.  Languages would not stop developing because society is undergoing change.  Some languages may go extinct but this is to give birth to new ones. 

