The Nature of Humans 6. Language
This essay examines the nature of humans in terms of their current language.
It establishes the number of languages and then the percentage of the population of the Earth that speak each language.
Conclusions are then drawn.
Number of Languages
There are an estimated 7,100 languages spoken in the world; approximately 80% of these languages are spoken by less than 100,000 people; about 140 languages are spoken by less than 10 people.
Source: CIA World Factbook 2015
Language Type and Percentage
Mandarin Chinese 11.82%, Spanish 5.77%, English 4.67%, Hindi 3.62%, Arabic 3.3%, Portuguese 2.83%, Bengali 2.69%, Russian 2.33%, Japanese 1.7%, Javanese 1.15%, Standard German 1.09% (2014 est.)
Source: CIA World Factbook 2015
Conclusions
The Earth is a collection of Languages.
It does not have a focus of communication, culture or society.
The dominant language is Mandarin Chinese. Double the nearest alternative, Spanish.
English; the expected dominant language; is third and only just above Hindi and Arabic.
The perceived dominance of English; through communications and technology; is a false premise.
The Earth is actually communicating as a large localized eastern group in a form unknown to the majority of the world population.
Therefore an shift in language use needs to take place towards recognizing and using eastern languages, and their output in societies, cultures, beauty, quality, values and needs.
Ian K Whittaker
Websites:
https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles
Email: iankwhittaker@gmail.com
01/06/2015
14/10/2020
247 words over 1 page