[Essay] Why is it good to invent a new language?

[thedaffodils]

Hi, I wrote this argument for practising my writing and logic. Could you please proofread or comment on this argument of mine for me? Thank you very much.


Some people think that a new language should be invented for people from different countries to use for the international communication. To what extent do you think its advantages far outweigh its disadvantages?

Why is it good to invent a new language?

Accompanying the globalisation, such as economics, politics, sciences, cultures, etc., more and more people from different countries or regions have to communicate with each other, but the different languages have become the big obstacle for communication. Therefore, some people think a new language should be invented for the people who speak different languages. I’d like to take Esperanto, the most well-known artificial language, as an example to illustrate how the advantages of an artifical language far outweigh its disvantages.

First, Esperanto has very easy grammars and pronunication rules. There're numerous natural languages in the world, from European languages, e.g. German, French, Spanish to Asian languages. Most of natural languages are rather hard to learn for non-speakers because of very complex grammars or irregular pronunications. Even though English, which is considered as a relatively easy language among the other European languages, it still has irregular forms of verbs, nouns, and irregular pronunciations. On the contrary, Espearanto is invented to avoid the complex grammar and irregular forms of nouns or verbs. Therefore, the advantage of this will help people from different countries to save time to learn it quick and realise to communicate with international people by their own self without the the aid of any translators or interpretors.

Second, the artifical language, like Esperanto, is neutral for all people of different nations in the world. Every one is equal when we speak in it. It is good to protect the rights of speakers of the minor natural languages and against any hegemonism of languages.

Third, Esperanto, though invented by Polish linguist Zamenhof, has been developing. It is estimated that there’re 2 million speakers from all over the world so far. Though some people argue that the invented new languages lack the rich cultural background, Esperanto has a unique culture of the language created by these Esperanto lovers. I believe this easy-learned language will have more influence along with more and more learners join into them.

In a nutshell, the practice of the invented language has proved itself that there the advantages of a new language overweigh its disvantages, so it is very necessary to invent a new language for people to meet the increasing need of the international communication.

[thod00]

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis states that:

"a particular language's nature influences the habitual thought of its speakers: that different language patterns yield different patterns of thought. This idea challenges the possibility of perfectly representing the world with language, because it implies that the mechanisms of any language condition the thoughts of its speaker community - Wikipedia."

Thus any new language would alter the thought processes of its speakers. A tyrant may invent a new language so as to make dissent impossible, there would be no words or constructs for revolution.

Take Japanese for example with its many levels of respect inherent in the language. Every time you speak to someone you are reinforcing the social strata as you decide who is above you and who below.

Every language has these in built assumptions about the world and inventing a language that reflects the one true reality is not possible since nobody knows what that is.

[thedaffodils]

Hi Thod00,

Thank you for your comment. Actually, I am not really for the viewpoints in my writing. This arguemnt was written according to the requirement of the topic in Italic text.

The orginal source is from this thread as the URL link directs as below.

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ed...-task-2-a.html

I just wrote it for practising my English writing and trainning my logic but not for the preparation for any exams. Would you please give me some suggestions about my writing, especially about style at your convenience? I really enjoy your poignant comments on the writing of a fellow forum member's. If possible, would you please also point out my grammar mistakes or any clumsy expressions? Many thanks!

[thod00]

Oh I see.

Lets start with the title of your essay. "Why is it good to invent a new language?". You are asking a question as indicated by the question mark.

This parses as "Why is it good, to invent a new language". But I haven't said that it is good. Thus you are asking me to explain a position I may not hold.

If you wanted to know my opinion you could say "Is it good to invent a new language?". This would be a fair title for the essay. You pose a question with the title and then process the arguments for and against in the body of text that follows.

If you wanted to state that it is good, and here are the reasons why, you could title it "Why it is good to invent a new language". Note that this isn't a question but a statement.

Accompanying the globalization, such as economics, politics, sciences, cultures, etc., more and more people from different countries or regions have to communicate with each other, but the different languages have become the big obstacle for communication.

Here is your first sentence. Look at how long it is, way too long. Sentences are chunks of information. You try to make one point per sentence. You use paragraphs to switch subjects or for readability.

"Accompanying the globalization" is fine, if you go on to say what is globalized. For example "... the globalization of the steel industry". But here you are referring to the globalisation process in general and so it should be "Accompanying globalisation ...".

Since you have told me that 'something' accompanies globalization, I now expect you tell me what that 'something' is. Instead you made a list of things that are globalized. You could have started by constructing a sentence to say what has been globalized and then gone on to make your points about communication.

Accompanying globalization, more and more people from different countries or regions have to communicate with each other.

Would be a reasonable length sentence. You have made your point about communication and given a reason. I would switch the 'or' to an 'and' to give 'countries and regions'.

but the different languages have become the big obstacle for communication.

I would say

but the differing languages have become a major obstacle to communication

There are other obstacles, culture for example. If I wanted to address this single obstacle then I would say 'a big obstacle' since it is one of many. If I wanted to say that this is is the most important then I would say 'the biggest obstacle'.

By using 'become the big obstacle' you place emphasis on the word 'the'. This means that you feel that is so important that it needs that emphasis. This is reflected in spoken English too with people emphasizing the word 'the'. In writing you could indicate this with capitalization to give

but the different languages have become THE big obstacle to communication.

.
.
.

n.b. I have an American spellchecker and it changed all the 's' to 'z'.

[thedaffodils]

Dear Thod00:

Thank you very much for your suggestions about the problems in my writing. They are really very helpful. I hope I can get rid of them in my writing next time.

I wrote the title correctly - Why it is good to invent a new language. But later, I switched the right statement into the wrong one. A former teacher of mine said I use the inverted order if a sentence start with an interrogative word. Is it not correct completely? (Yikes, this sentence has more than 15 words. Sorry, I don't know how to make it more concise.)

You suggested that we should try to make our sentences no more than 15 words. But why did I read some very long and complex sentences in some articles written by some native speakers? Do you think all the long sentences were poorly written? For example, What do you think about this long sentence in Italic as below? I just searched it from the Internet.

On the whole such a conclusion can be drawn with a certain degree of confidence but only if the child can be assumed to have had the same attitude towards the test as the other with whom he is compared, and only if he was not punished by lack of relevant information which they possessed.

As to the spellings, I think it is the my duty to double check them by my own self. I don't want to waste your precious time to do this, or I would be too lazy.

I'd greatly appreciate if you can answer the above questions at your convenience.

[thod00]

You suggested that we should try to make our sentences no more than 15 words

No I didn't.

On the whole such a conclusion can be drawn with a certain degree of confidence but only if the child can be assumed to have had the same attitude towards the test as the other with whom he is compared, and only if he was not punished by lack of relevant information which they possessed.

Its a conclusion and two conditionals. The conclusion only applies if both conditionals are true. I had to read it a second time to ensure I had parsed it correctly. IF (A AND B) THEN C. The fact that I had to read it a second time says that it is not easy to read.

[thedaffodils]

Hi Thod00,

Thank you very much for your reply again. I'm sorry that I memorized your words wrong. Well, I'd like to follow your advice, and make my sentence as clear as possible.

Have a good day!

[thedaffodils]

Originally Posted by thod00

Here is your first sentence. Look at how long it is, way too long. Sentences are chunks of information. You try to make one point per sentence. You use paragraphs to switch subjects or for readability.

Hi Thod00:

Could you please tell me whether the second seems better if cast away any grammar mistakes? I wrote the first but I found it contains more information. Thus, I switched it to the second.

#1 If a person, with whom I have business relationship but we are not familar with each other, only signs his given name in his letter each time, should I address him his given name or his surname with 'Mr'?

#2 I know a person whom I have business relationship with but we are not familar with each other. He signed his given name only in his letter each time. Should I address him his give name or his surname with 'Mr'?

Many thanks!

[thod00]

A business correspondent signs his letters using only his first name. I have never met this person and do not wish to offend him. Should I address my letters using the supplied name, or retain the more formal Mr?

Your second one is better style, but full of mistakes. It is better because it breaks the information up into smaller pieces.

I know a person whom I have business relationship with but we are not familar with each other.

Tells me two things, there is another person and you dont know him very well.

He write to each time with his given name only

Tells me two things, he writes to you and he uses his first name.

Should I address him his give name or his surname with 'Mr

Asks me a question, given the proceeding information.

If a person, with whom I have business relationship but we are not familar with each other, only sign given name in his letter each time, should I address him his given name or his surname with 'Mr'?

Is more difficult to read because it is hard to parse the conditional which consists of three conditions.

Maybe you speak a computer language, if not you wont understand this.

1) =
IF (have_business_relationship) AND NOT (familiar) AND (uses_given_name) THEN
return get_name_to_use()
ENDIF

2) =
have_business_relationship = True
familiar = False
uses_given_name = True

return get_name_to_use()

[thedaffodils]

Hi Thod00,

Thank you very much for your illustrations point by point. It seems it is easy for a sentence which just contains a piece of information. But unconsciously, I always made my expressions complex. I need more practice.

I don't know the computer language, but the example of yours reminds me of Excel's function. Haha.

Have a good day.