BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[Pblakeney]

The battle's already been lost. Mandarin might well be the most widely-spoken language on Earth (mostly thanks to simply the size of the Chinese population), but it's going to take more than that to topple English as the language of science (and aviation). I'll be the first to admit that there's no logic as to "Why English?": it's just a combination of Empire, America, pidgin English (plus some linguistic things about the ease/lack of conjugation, genders and declensions).

The place to promote niche languages isn't going to be through science. There are far better vectors. It is a worthwhile cause.

I thought that the mantra is that language is fluid and changes?
I can see the world becoming bilingual (English and Mandarin) in my lifetime. If I live as long as I hope.

 

[briantrumpet]

I thought that the mantra is that language is fluid and changes?

It does, though here we're talking about % trends in usage of specific languages, rather than the changes within languages themselves, which I think you're referring to, and is a universal phenomenon.

For the time being, the language of science sharing is English, and it's likely to stay that way for quite some time, I'd suggest.

 

[Pblakeney]

It does, though here we're talking about % trends in usage of specific languages, rather than the changes within languages themselves, which I think you're referring to, and is a universal phenomenon.

For the time being, the language of science sharing is English, and it's likely to stay that way for quite some time, I'd suggest.

Some time is relative. I'm thinking 20 years or so.
I am constantly reminded that people default to "this is how it is, this is how it will remain". It is a false assumption.

 

[briantrumpet]

Some time is relative. I'm thinking 20 years or so.
I am constantly reminded that people default to "this is how it is, this is how it will remain". It is a false assumption.

'Aviation English' has been the language of air traffic control for 75 years. OK, so that's mandated for safety reasons, but is now just accepted. I think it'll be the same, in effect, for 'Scientific English'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_English

It might well be a false assumption, given that the near-monopoly in science papers has evolved rather been mandated, but I think it unlikely that it's going to change in anything as short as 20 years, not least as there would have to be not just an accepted reason for it to change, but the mechanism to do so. Can't see it myself, though China is playing such a blinder in so many ways at the moment, I might well be wrong (but dead by the time any change happens, so I won't care.)

 

[Pblakeney]

'Aviation English' has been the language of air traffic control for 75 years. OK, so that's mandated for safety reasons, but is now just accepted. I think it'll be the same, in effect, for 'Scientific English'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_English

It might well be a false assumption, given that the near-monopoly in science papers has evolved rather been mandated, but I think it unlikely that it's going to change in anything as short as 20 years, not least as there would have to be not just an accepted reason for it to change, but the mechanism to do so. Can't see it myself, though China is playing such a blinder in so many ways at the moment, I might well be wrong (but dead by the time any change happens, so I won't care.)

You could well be correct but business does not speak traffic control or scientific. I’ve also noticed that the young are happy to watch subtitled media. Subtle influence.