“Global” Language
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At the YMCA International Youth Leadership Camp, the 60+ participants explored the possibility of creating a new language, called “Global.”
60 “first-order” implications were created and participants contributed over 300 specific implications. Participants did not score all the implications. They selected what their team saw as the 2 - 3 most important positive and negative implications. |
Details of the Center
The idea behind the language was to create a consistent, easy-to-learn, easy to spell, consistent language that was not a language of Empire.
The cost savings for the world would be enormous and the ability to communicate, negotiate, educate would be dramatically enhanced. This would be a second language for each person but would be the language of choice for speaking to others from around the world.
The assumption would be that people would learn their native language and "Global" language. The availability of the "Global" language was announced six months ago.
Background:
The United Nations sponsored a world wide contest to create a new language to be used as a universal second language around the world. A group of scholars from a wide range of cultures got together and approved the rules. Funding for the contest came from three companies: Motorola, Samsung, Nokia.
Each put in 3 million euros to fund three segments of the contest:
1. creating the design council and the judging council
2. Funding the website and dissemination of the contest rules
3. Funding the prizes: 1 million euros for the winner and another 2 million euros for other prizes
Rules for the contest: These were reached with extremely broad agreement across cultures and nations
1. There are 75 sounds that make up the new language.
2. These sounds are pronounceable by all cultures.
3. The grammar must be completely regular.
4. The grammar rules must be simple with no exceptions.
5. No homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings)
6. No synonyms (words that mean the same but sound different)
7. No linguistic genders
8. The sounds of the language are represented by an alphabet with one sound to one symbol; no silent letters.
9. Punctuation includes symbols for irony, sarcasm, humor, sadness, etc.
10. It must sing beautifully
11. Word meaning cannot be changed by pitch or tone.
12. Starting vocabulary: 2500 words that are most commonly used by everyone around the world (see list) and 2500 legal terms to be used to write legal contracts in this new language
A parallel contest ran to create the design of the new alphabet which represented the 75 sounds and the punctuation. Its requirements were: easily printed or "written" unambiguous letters easy to master beautiful mirrored easily computer readable
Upon release of the new language, the UN also did the following: Created a free website where you could download lessons to teach you the language and receive computerized tutorials in the language. Created learning materials for those who cannot access the Web. Also free.
Created a special free website for teachers who wanted to teach the new language in their classes. This also came with downloadable teaching materials.
Translated 20 major languages into the new language. Created a website for the submission of new words in the new language. If accepted, the author of the word would be listed in recognition of their efforts.
Created a registry of people's names which were translations of their names from their native language.
Created standards for reading, writing, and speaking the language along with a website where you could take tests to demonstrate your proficiency in reading, writing and speaking the new language. You were awarded a special commendation and were registered when you passed all three.
The cost savings for the world would be enormous and the ability to communicate, negotiate, educate would be dramatically enhanced. This would be a second language for each person but would be the language of choice for speaking to others from around the world.
The assumption would be that people would learn their native language and "Global" language. The availability of the "Global" language was announced six months ago.
Background:
The United Nations sponsored a world wide contest to create a new language to be used as a universal second language around the world. A group of scholars from a wide range of cultures got together and approved the rules. Funding for the contest came from three companies: Motorola, Samsung, Nokia.
Each put in 3 million euros to fund three segments of the contest:
1. creating the design council and the judging council
2. Funding the website and dissemination of the contest rules
3. Funding the prizes: 1 million euros for the winner and another 2 million euros for other prizes
Rules for the contest: These were reached with extremely broad agreement across cultures and nations
1. There are 75 sounds that make up the new language.
2. These sounds are pronounceable by all cultures.
3. The grammar must be completely regular.
4. The grammar rules must be simple with no exceptions.
5. No homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings)
6. No synonyms (words that mean the same but sound different)
7. No linguistic genders
8. The sounds of the language are represented by an alphabet with one sound to one symbol; no silent letters.
9. Punctuation includes symbols for irony, sarcasm, humor, sadness, etc.
10. It must sing beautifully
11. Word meaning cannot be changed by pitch or tone.
12. Starting vocabulary: 2500 words that are most commonly used by everyone around the world (see list) and 2500 legal terms to be used to write legal contracts in this new language
A parallel contest ran to create the design of the new alphabet which represented the 75 sounds and the punctuation. Its requirements were: easily printed or "written" unambiguous letters easy to master beautiful mirrored easily computer readable
Upon release of the new language, the UN also did the following: Created a free website where you could download lessons to teach you the language and receive computerized tutorials in the language. Created learning materials for those who cannot access the Web. Also free.
Created a special free website for teachers who wanted to teach the new language in their classes. This also came with downloadable teaching materials.
Translated 20 major languages into the new language. Created a website for the submission of new words in the new language. If accepted, the author of the word would be listed in recognition of their efforts.
Created a registry of people's names which were translations of their names from their native language.
Created standards for reading, writing, and speaking the language along with a website where you could take tests to demonstrate your proficiency in reading, writing and speaking the new language. You were awarded a special commendation and were registered when you passed all three.