A source on the internet cites a report published in the magazine Nature, which concludes, that evidence from the study of a whole range of primates, chimpanzees, bonobos, Gorillas etc. indicates that human beings began communicating with each other with a spoken language around 5,000 years ago.
The National Security Agency estimates to be 5,000 different individual languages spoken in the world today, AP photo/Seth Wenig
Now a language being a good and useful thing in support of communication, common efforts for the betterment and growth of humankind, common defense, general well-being and happiness, we humans have gone on to do what human beings always do and have always done, when we find something that’s real good. We have manufactured, made up, devised, generated, proliferated and put into constant daily use what the National Security Agency estimates to be 5,000 different individual languages spoken in the world today, which pretty much defeats the original purpose of spoken language.
So, why would we do that – make up several thousand spoken languages, where just two or three would certainly work well and preserve some individual sense of freedom of choice and freedom of expression.
I know the answer to that question.
The reason for so many languages is the same as the reason for so many kinds and colors of hats, shoes, cars, trucks, houses, golf clubs and neckties. What people want is to be just like everybody else, but different.
That is to say, with that many languages spoken in the world today, and where very few of them have an alphabet or writing system, what are the chances of two people having a pleasant and civilized exchange over “That’s my seat, I reserved it last Saturday, now get your butt up and move it, please.”
I’m not sure that a common language for the two potential contestants would solve the problem here, but having two different languages would not make the situation any the less incendiary.
And the original conversation might have gone like this:
Come here, I want you to see this.
OK, so what am I supposed to see?
Well, the warm, fur bedskins are all over on your side, and none on mine.
Oh, sorry, I never would take them from your side. It must have been the cats.
You sharpen your spear points at 3 a.m., so, it was cats playing “catch the mousie?”
I’m going out and kill something for breakfast.
Orrin Frink is a Kennebunkport resident. He can be reached at ofrink@gmail.com.
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