Introduction
The world is rapidly globalizing. Different cultures sometimes smoothly, and with extreme tension, rush into a common cultural space of the universal language. Consequently, people are witnessing numerous conflicts, misunderstandings, and contradictions associated with this process. How can the dialogue of cultures be realized in the modern world? What symbolism will be most appropriate for the common language of humanity? Will nations that have been cultivating their national identity for centuries be able to move towards universal communication? As is known, in the world of cultural studies this topic was considered half a century ago as a problem of cultural code and universal language. Global language implementation is designed to significantly reduce these differences, to make cultural systems transparent and acceptable to all people. It must possess several qualities that will assist nations in adapting and learning it. However, the universal language will not eliminate a nation’s cultural identity, and it will bring better communication flow and improved information transfer.
Historical background
The influence of the universal language, the idea spread of which began in the 60s of the previous century, is difficult to overestimate. The strength of its penetration is quite high, and the perception of the users of the concept of language is ambiguous. By the beginning of the XXI century for the global language, the notions were being actively discussed. Without a doubt, it can be noted that the universal language received the most significant attention in the world in the 20th century, because the English language was emerging as a potential candidate. It undoubtedly contributed to the cultural heritage of the people speaking this language. The use of English as one of the official languages ​​in the work of international organizations has made a significant contribution to its development as a language of international communication [1]. The development of print media has also played a major role in the spread of English. In the middle of the XIX century, the part of the largest news agencies sharply increased. By the end of the XIX century, social and economic factors led to an increase in advertising. English in advertising began to be used quite early.
Universal language usefulness and qualities
Universal language roots
The clearest example supporting the universal language concept is the widespread use of English in international affairs. If the world uses the global language that was derived from English, numerous countries will be able to adapt it quickly. The English language will either be an origin of the universal language or the resembling language. By the beginning of the XXI century, American influence in the world makes English not only extremely important, but practically the only possible instrument of intercultural interaction not only in various market areas, especially in tourism and advertising, but also in such areas as science and technology. Access to current scientific and technical databases without the use of English is impossible; therefore, it is an obligatory working language of international scientific events [2]. However, it would be erroneous to believe that the globalization of the English language is the result of purely economic and political superiority. Attention should be paid to the peculiarities of the English, which predetermined his victory in a kind of race for global linguistic domination. Therefore, the universal language will bring entirely free information flow without any loss of context, which will be an excellent communication tool among nations.
Language flexibility
Secondly, the universal language must possess an important quality of flexibility and simplicity, which will be useful for nations to adopt it without undergoing intensive learning. Adjustability is manifested at different levels of the language system. The word order, the pledge category, the ability to use the same word as a noun and a verb, great derivational capabilities – all this works on the flexibility of the universal language as a communicative tool. Moreover, global grammar must have a higher degree of unification than most world languages. For example, the category of sex can be completely transmitted by the word and does not require additional manifestation with the help of articles, as in German or Spanish [3]. A predicate can easily do without a subject. The case forms of nouns in universal language might be practically absent except for some personal pronouns, compared with, for example, Finnish, which has fifteen types for each noun. It should be a sample of the highest degree of unification of the grammatical system. The simplicity is key, because in Latin the verb had 120 possible forms, and in modern German, it had 16, then English operates only five types, of which only three are actively used [4]. Therefore, English is the possible candidate for a universal language, if it will not be artificially designed. By being flexible and simple, it will be easily learned and used effortlessly, thus making its implementation natural and logical.
Loss of cultural identity
Nevertheless, it is important to note that the implementation of universal language will partially eliminate cultural identity. Spreading the process of globalization in all spheres of life in modern society makes people think about their ethnic identity. Erasing national language, which is on the verge of ethnicity, can show that the process of globalization is a destructive factor influencing the original tradition and culture of the people. The first refutation point is that countries should make a move about ancestral languages. Countries throughout the world should force each university and school to teach the ancestral language to everyone. Opportunities should exist for each to learn, speak, and write the original language. According to Peng’s study, it is important to preserve cultural identity for a student to study effectively [5]. In addition, parents should teach their children about history and cultural background, because it is the core of one’s identity. Parents should help their children to understand their religion, language, ethnic group, culture, and familial history. Therefore, children would know about their identity and how their ancestors lived by having more information about anthropology, history, religion, and geography. According to Miles, the culture-based behavior model needs to be anchored and preserved, because the lack of it leads to identity-related issues [6]. If cultures are understood through the prism of the concepts of linguistic and ethnic identity, they can be characterized as an ethnicity that has its traditions and customs, a defined territory, core values that are passed down from generation to generation.
Conclusions
In conclusion, economic and political factors have the greatest influence on the implementation and development of measures to promote linguistic unification, the stability of its status and system, including communicative models and traditional ethnocultural discourses. The universal language concept might either emerge from other international languages or be completely designed. In both scenarios, the English language will have a profound effect. There are benefits to having a global language, such as lexical freedom, flexibility, and unified communication tool. Intensive migration flows and the recognition of the principles of tolerance and human rights as the basis of modern public life should be taken into account when developing language implementation measures. Peaceful coexistence is possible only if the integration component of any modern society is taken into account. However, the loss of cultural and ethnic identity can be a major problem, which will be an opposing idea for a universal language. Linguistic policy in the global world is a vast concept: the planning and regulation of language status are often carried out at the ideological level.
References
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- A. C. Peng, L. V. Dyne, and K. Oh, ” The influence of motivational cultural intelligence on cultural effectiveness based on study abroad: The moderating role of participant’s cultural identity,” Journal of Management Education, vol. 39, no. 5, 2014. [Online]. Web.
- A. Miles, “Addressing the problem of cultural anchoring: An identity-based model of culture in action,” Social Psychology Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 2, 2014. [Online]. Web.