Why English?

[메모리아]

It has been for a while that English has become

the Global common language so called the Lingua Franca (Language of Franca).

Here, the word 'Franca' indicates the Mediterranean trading vehicular languages,

Followed by previously dominated Lingua Francas - Latin (Pax Romana) and Napoleonic French.

How come English has become the Lingua Franca?

Very Simple!

It signifies Global superpower followed by

Colonization, mainly by the British Empire, and

After WW II, US (Pax America) took over the role.

The Internet accelerated English world domination even further.

It looks like there are co-relationships between language and nation’s

Military and Economic power so as to become as the lingua Franca.

For example, Let’s look at the 13th century Mongolian language.

Genghis Khan had adapted Uigurs (Turkish alphabet) even before attacking China proper.

His grandson Kublai Khan had Phags-pa (the Tibetan monk) to make the empire’s language

Which made out of Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Turkish  combined,

almost like Modern day Esperanto, which had shortly lived.

Naturally, Mongolian language had proved that the most efficient and brilliant language

to administer those vast empire ranging from Europe to  far east Asia.

Howecer, when this largest Empire ever in human history had collapsed,

Its language disappeared accordingly so fast like those galloping mongolian horses

into the abyss.

So, what’s the point?

Well, my point is that English is not so great language compared to any other ones.

What I mean is that English have many flaws.

My sister-in-law is a linguist and she speaks 30 different languages!

According to her, English is a mess and a nightmare in grammar and in spelling as well.

There are no other languages that spends so much time and money

To acquire fluency in the grammar and the spelling.

We all hear quite often about ‘spelling bee’ contests and all kind of fuss, right?!

Spelling problems occur when the speaking and the writing do not match each other

Compared to more advanced sound language like Korean, Latin, or Spanish etc.

In other words,

English is not superior to any other languages, not even close.

Strictly speaking, English came from German’s local tribal language of

Angels, Saxons, Jutes, with which married with Celts Island tongue.

For example, Celtic verb of 'Do' usages in inquisitive and negative sentences.

Do you walk? I do not walk. I do walk.

After that those ignorant Vikings invaded and married locals,

Which contributed big time to make English notoriously Easy but Hectic.

Most of European nouns have the genders of male, female, neutral.

However, Vikings could not distinguish and did not bother to try,

Except putting the end of verb 's' on the third-person singular pronoun,

which this Scandinavian tongue has survived until now.

Then, the 11th century French Normandy Duke William

conquers the Island, who speaks no English but French until he dies,

Bringing 10,000 words of French words like:

Crucified, fundamental, definition, conclusion etc.

As a result, Earlier occupation of Latin and French were

Mixed with local Celtic English:

Help (English)=Aid (French) =Assist (Latin),

Kingly(E) = Royal(F) = Regal(L)

Begin(E) =Commence(F)

Want(E) = Desire (F)

Understand(E) = Comprehend(F)

End(E) = Conclusion(F)

Walk(E) = Ambulate(F)

After all, English is mish mash of

Old English, Old Norse, French and Latin, including

Greek’s photographs(light-writing)

Every living language even dead has it’s

Pride and efficiency and effectiveness, period!

Russians claim that theirs are great and mighty.

English native speakers are proud of its vigorous, flexible, and adaptable generosity.

French says theirs are nothinig but clear:

Ce qui n'est pas clair n'est pas français

(What is not clear is not French.)

In conclusion,

We see English global colonization, and hinders humanity's owesome legacy of

divesified Native languages indiscriminately.

Every Language is most effective and efficient one in its own light

for each natives,

Containing its’ soul and spirit.

English is weird and oxymoronic language,

However, why are we spending so much energy to learn and to master?

It's because under the skin, humans as a whole came from the same origin.

And all human emotions are similar in a bigger and larger sense.

Why are we studying or rather using English so much?

To understand wider world,

To be better and larger out of me.

To understand the world of the past,

We study- 

Chinese in the East, Latin in the West, Arabic and Sanskrit in the Middle.

For now, we study English to get by.

How about for the future?

It will depend which country would dominate the world, won’t it be…?

P.S.

How about Korean?

According to a well-known historian and anthropologist John Man,

Among the linguists Hangul is that

“The Best Alphabet that any language can hope for,” and

“The Brilliant Product of Highly Ingenious and sophisticated Society”

Due to Hangul’s Simplicity, Efficiency, and its Elegance.

(Alpha Beta, John Wilson & Sons Inc, 2000, The Search for the Perfect Alphabet)

A Top World Class, British linguist Geoffrey Sampson claims:

Korean Language is

“One of the Greatest Intellectual Achievement of Humankind!”

My sister-in-law and I agree  whole heartdly as well!!

[본샹스]

What makes Hangul distinguished the most from all other languages is, I think, how Hangul was made, rather than how diifferent in sense of linguistic and phonologic perspective.

Instead of my comments, let me take here the reason of Hangul creation motivated by Sejong the Great as follows :
"나라 말씀이 중국과 달라 서로 통하지 않으니" 한문을 읽지 못하는 백성을 불쌍하게 여겨 우리 문자를 창제한다는 뜻을 명확히 하고 있다. Because the words of the country are different from those of China, they do not communicate with each other," clarifying the meaning of creating our own characters with pity for the people who cannot read Chinese characters.

[메모리아]

Whatever reason or motivation of creating of Hangul is one thing, the ingenuity of Alphabet is totally the other matter, I think.
Among the staff for the king shejong, sungsanmoon, shinshukju, were linguists fluent in Mongol, Chinese, Japanese which contributed the impressive Hangul's creation.
That's whole point I am marveling at. It's a genuine mast piece. Don't you agree?
Salut, Bonne Chance