Are we evolving towards a pan-language? (Linguistics)

[joigus]

Simple enough: Are we?

It seems inevitable that we are. Then languages like Quechua or Walpiri will be reduced to the roles that now play Hittite or Assyrian.

Or will we evolve into a multi-dialectal pansociety? Local versions of the same, say, English; but with people being able to understand each other all over the Earth.

Will we evolve towards a bi-polar, tripolar, etc. model?

What do you think? And why?

Edited May 19, 2022 by joigus
minor correction

[Peterkin]

I wouldn't call it evolving. Imperialism, whether by force of arms, persuasion or economic pressure, is an imposition of one culture on another rather than a natural development. So, whether the transformation is permanent or temporary depends on how long the empire can hold on to its colonies, satellites and dependent allies.

There is some small movement among colonized peoples of North America to reclaim their own heritage and language. We also see fierce backlash against Anglo-American domination in the Middle East, while China appears both ready and able to start a new cycle of imperialism. While the language of business has been English for a while now, economic power is not as concentrated as it may appear on the surface     https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/billionaires-by-country  but more diverse, mobile and pervasive. There is no guarantee of continued American world dominance.

At the moment, it looks like a tussle between the US and China - which I suppose would make it bipolar - but a lot of variables are unpredictable. Will the US tear itself apart in civil strife? Will climate change or pandemic wipe out major populations? Will Russia and the rest of the world blow one another to smithereens? Will the financial machinations of a few unprincipled players collapse the global economic structure? The trend we can see is of the past; not necessarily of the future.   

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Peterkin

[Genady]

It seems to me that we're moving rather toward a society of multilinguals.

[joigus]

1 hour ago, Peterkin said:

I wouldn't call it evolving. Imperialism, whether by force of arms, persuasion or economic pressure, is an imposition of one culture on another rather than a natural development. So, whether the transformation is permanent or temporary depends on how long the empire can hold on to its colonies, satellites and dependent allies.

OK. Thanks for your answer, but you're wearing your political glasses. I didn't mean 'evolving' as 'going towards something good.' I meant it as 'going towards something different.'  Believe me, I pain for the loss too.

12 minutes ago, Genady said:

It seems to me that we're moving rather toward a society of multilinguals.

Interesting. Why?

[Genady]

In old times and also the older generation spoke mostly one language, the language of their community. Today most of younger people seem to speak several languages as appropriate, e.g. in the family, at school, at work, for entertainment, for travel, etc. When you live in a multilingual society it is easy to be a multilingual. 

[Peterkin]

45 minutes ago, joigus said:

I didn't mean 'evolving' as 'going towards something good.' I meant it as 'going towards something different.'

I didn't mean to set a value on evolution. It doesn't 'go toward' anything, either good or bad; it's simply an on-going, undirected process of selection for survival that takes place in nature. My distinction was between fitness selection and imposed order. Imposed order has purpose and direction, but doesn't always contribute work to the survival of either the imposing or imposed-upon organism.

That means, traits are acquired as an expedient, or a burden; as soon as the purpose is no longer served, the acquired trait is abandoned. For example, a generation of Eastern Europeans had to learn Russian in school. Once the USSR imploded, not only did their children not learn Russian, but even the older people stopped using it and forgot most of it.

The something different a future generation becomes will be the result of many forces, some of which we can see, some of which we can surmise, and some of which we cannot predict. 

A great many people have had to become bilingual because of colonialism coming to their homeland, or themselves being forced to flee their homeland. Some citizens of ethnically diverse nations become bilingual through childhood exposure;  relatively few people become bi- or multilingual by choice. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Peterkin
added example

[Genady]

Did you know that the total number of world languages went up in recent years?

Some languages went extinct, but more languages were added, some that were declared extinct prematurely, and some previously unknown, spoken as well as sign languages.