Advancing Global Communication—with a Universal Language

Baha’u’llah advocated one language as the greatest means of unity and the basis of international conference. He wrote to the kings and rulers of the various nations, recommending that one language should be sanctioned and adopted by all governments. According to this each nation should acquire the universal language in addition to its native tongue. The world would then be in close communication, consultation would become general, and dissensions due to diversity of speech would be removed. – Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 232-233.

By now, we all know that we continually handicap international communication and understanding by the inability of all parties in any world-wide initiative to communicate directly, clearly, and understandably. A lot gets lost in the translation.

So imagine the distinct, enormous benefit, to all the peoples of the world, if we possessed an agreed-upon, global, common language, selected by all of the nations, taught in every school and spoken everywhere. We could define this common lingua franca as an auxiliary language, in order not to displace any national or ethnic language already in existence. In a generation or two, every person on Earth could become bilingual, speaking their own native language and a universal one.

How would the world go about accomplishing this vitally important task?

First, the world would need to make a decision, involving linguistic experts and the input of all nations, to select a single language. It won’t be an easy choice, and would have to take into account many political and strategic considerations. However, the language need not be one of the current languages; it could be an invented or syncretistic language, thus distributing equal responsibility and effort throughout the globe, and favoring no nation or national interest.

Second, we would need to give some recognition to the extensibility of the language. Extensibility—the principle of system design that takes future growth into consideration—recognizes that no language is static, and some languages adapt to change better than others. When the world community adopts a single language for global use, we will greatly increase the frequency of extension. In other words, the universal language we select has to easily accommodate new forms, idioms, vocabulary and usage.

Third: once we make the selection, an extensive period of preparation would have to occur. We would need to codify the alphabet used—assuming here that we would select an alphabetic language, rather than a language with a system of logograms or symbols—and standardize its word definitions, spellings and pronunciations. In all technical fields, we would need to carefully identify usage parameters, and resolve conflicts and questions. This extremely large task has to encompass medical, social science, chemical, engineering, and other fields.

Fourth: All schools, throughout the world, must prepare to teach the language. For adults, opportunities should exist for each to learn to speak and write the language. The training of the teachers will comprise a large task, itself.

Some think of this great undertaking as a dream, impossible to achieve. However, leaders of governments, businesses and educational institutions generally recognize that a universal auxiliary language would represent a major benefit to the world, for commerce, for science, for diplomacy, for peace and for personal communication of any and all kinds.

The Baha’i teachings clearly envisage a time when humanity will accomplish this tremendous goal:

The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have adopted one universal language and one common script. When this is achieved, to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own home… – Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 166.

When you think about the impact of a universal auxiliary language, you’ll find it very easy to recognize the potential benefits of such a change to world-wide culture. The immediate effect for all travelers would be huge, making it possible to go anywhere and communicate easily and clearly. International diplomacy would be greatly improved. At present, when all important diplomatic communications must be carefully translated, and the translations carefully studied for the perhaps intricate meaning(s) in a translated phrase, a very large opportunity exists for miscommunication, with extremely important consequences.

Beyond the practical aspects of this necessary change, the cultural impact of a universal language would have serious positive consequences for understanding each other. Can you conceive of reading and understanding the great literature of cultures and religions in a language you can understand, and what that might do to advance our appreciation of other lands and Faiths?

This development, which the world desperately needs, will eventually take place. Baha’is work, hope and pray for its quick realization.