Languages of the World
By sukumar794
@sukumar794 (5040)
Thiruvananthapuram, India
May 11, 2007 11:20am CST
Do you know that the number of spoken languages nowadays is estimated between 2500 and 7000./It is difficult to give a precise number,because the notion of language is quite vague.As regards the writing systems,they are clearly less numerous than languages.Nowadays, there are 25 different writing systems in the world,whereas there are 100/200 written languages and 5000 spoken languages !
2 people like this
9 responses
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
11 May 07
Is it actually different languages or dialects of the same languages? Like for instance, Spanish has different dialects in different countries. Even here in the US, the English language is somewhat different depending on where one is located, people who live in the Southern states speak totally different than ones in the North, and US English is different than UK English.
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
11 May 07
I would say, dialects not included . Apart from this there are idiolects (individual speech forms).US, UK, Australian, Newzeland, Canadian etc are to be considered as variants of the same language ie. English.The enormity of languages spoken in the sub-saharan region of the African continent contribute most to the statistics of the number of languages existing all over the globe.
1 person likes this
@elshaddai123 (3981)
• Kottayam, India
11 May 07
Babel where first saw beginning of different languages.It was curse from the Lord.One language has the power.
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
12 May 07
Thanks for responding..couldn't grasp what you meant really !
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@elshaddai123 (3981)
• Kottayam, India
13 May 07
Babel is where by the curse of God different languages are come up, if you can read Bible, please look up in Genesis Chapter 11 and you will be able to understand
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@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
12 May 07
None of us can be proficient in not more than ten languages at the most.The information provided by me is just for the sake of information.
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@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
12 May 07
I've been listening to a language course with my mom the last few weeks. the man doing the course says there's about 6500 spoken languages - this includes about 2000 that are nearly extinct.
The fact that English with its subject, verb, object (svo) word order is fairly rare is of some interest. But there is 1 language in South America that is ovs & a few that are random, using word endings to indicate what the speaker is saying.
Really cool!
2 people like this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
13 May 07
This is true! I never really thought about it, but it is true. The number of spoken languages are much more numerous than the amount of written languages there are. That is just astounding to me! I am very impressed by your knowledge of such things, you must be a very learned person!
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@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
13 May 07
Thanks very much for the response. I was just explaining things fro what I have culled from authentic sources. By the way , I have a doctorate degree in Linguistics( it is the scientific study of languages). Have a very nice time.
1 person likes this
@saivenkaat802003 (4823)
• India
11 May 07
Hi sukumar,
It is quite amazing to hear that there are so many languages,in the world. Apart from English Which language is widely spoken throughout the world? Do u know my first reaction after reading this message? I just looked like your avatar: LOL
By the way, are you from Tamilnadu or from which part of India?
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
11 May 07
By way of introduction - I'm from Kerala(Trivandrum). My avatar has nothing to do with my physical appearance ... I'm slim and not quite bald or clean -shaven as seen in the avatar. For your information : Next to English it's Chinese(Mandarin) which is being spoken by the largest number of people in the world. Good luck. Keep in touch.
1 person likes this
@saivenkaat802003 (4823)
• India
11 May 07
Hi thanks for your introduction.By the way, what i really meant about your avatar is , after knowing that there are so many languages in the world and after going through all the stats that you provided on languages, I was wonder struck and i simply sat, before my PC with both my hands rested on my head. This made to write "I just looked like your avatar".
I think that i've not offended your feelings, If so,you may kindly excuse me. Good night sukumar I'm going to sleep.
3 people like this
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
16 May 07
Wow, I did not know that we had so many languages out there. Well, I guess you really have to be a good linguist to know at least so many.
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
16 May 07
Oh ! You guessed it absolutely right . I have a post- graduate degree in languages and linguistics + a doctoral degree (Phd) in Sociolinguistics . Thanks very much for the respons3e . Good luck and all the very best to you .
@effectivehope (72)
• Pakistan
12 May 07
What about Urdu and Hindi. I think Urdu is the third most spoken language! or it is Arabic?
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
12 May 07
My dear pal, I just didn't take those things into account. You have to be searching more to find out the statistics of language statuses. thanks for the response. Good luck .
1 person likes this
@nampoothiripad (601)
• India
15 May 07
You are right. If we go through the history of the development of languages, it can been seen that it speaks history of the people of that particular area
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
16 May 07
Thanks for the response. The total number of spoken languages - the statistics is not yet clear.
