International Language
 

The two most spoken language on the internet are English & Mandarin.

Why has the world not transitioned into speaking English?
And before you non-Americans get upset, I'm not specifically talking about American English.

Wouldn't this simplify exchanges between countries?

It's true that it would simplify international communication, but languages have a lot of built-in cultural context, in that people use their language through their unique cultural lens. By consolidating, you have the side effect of watering down cultures. This is why you see efforts to preserve and restore world languages.

That said, in a globalized world, the extinction of non-dominant languages is likely inevitable in the long term.

We can thank Britain for so many countries speaking English. Mandarin is only in there because China is the largest single country without giant swaths of frozen tundra. Otherwise everyone would speak their own language. World languages change too, Greek was the most known language in ancient times then Latin. Dialects will always develop in localized areas into new languages.

I simply can't argue that the brit's have progressed english language internationally.
I know in some countries students learn english as a 2nd language. This kind of spurred my question.

My theory is that English will eventually become what will be known as Galactic Common, and local dialects and languages will flourish and continue to evolve as long as discrete populations exist to support them. You're seeing it now, it's the International Space Station but all the dials are in English, except it's not regular English it's nerd-English so it's already starting to mutate. Seriously though we need to have the buttons labelled correctly and English has a giant leg up on that race.

We can blame Douglas Adams all we want but his invention actually prolongs separate languages among the same species. If you have a universal translator that you can talk to in your own language; why bother learning whatever. Your own street signs are in Gringolog which is great cause everyone always spoke it here and with GalGoogTranslator you can keep using it and everyone will understand your grobledywooks and spizzleworls.

Mandarin is going to die out though cause it's stupid.

Also some people like the fact they can talk about people without others understanding.

My wife does this. I tell her it’s rude, like whispering. She says she just doesn’t want anyone else to know what she is saying /facepalm.

The Lingua Franca will always be the language of business.

Are you Welsh? :D