Is there really any practical purpose of this discussion?
Given that we have discussion on LW about very theoretical issues, it’s interesting that you choose to ask this question in this context.
There likely some triggered ugg-field. Tribal political instincts that don’t belong.
There are multiple practical aspects. It’s very useful to understand that language is not perfect for rationality in general.
Secondly KevinGrant opened this discussion because he designs a Conlang. In the context of Conlang design it’s important to openly speak about the flaws of the existing languages.
How are you proposing to impose changes on an actually existing language, other than by making laws about language use and penalizing people with heavy fines if they make mistakes?
Given that both the German government and the French government actually do form their respective languages through government programs, the idea that you need to fine people is without basis.
Just because the US still works with inches and feets doesn’t mean that change is impossible if the will exists.
But if I wanted to lead the road to reformed English, I wouldn’t do it via the government. I would change the language in a way where it’s possible to automatically translate the new reformed English into contemporary English.
I would provide wordpress plugins that allow a person to write his post in reformed English and at the same time show a normal English version on his website.
If done with charismatic leadership, using reformed English becomes the thing that cool people do.
On of the aspects of reformed English would be that it has less polysemy. That means it’s possible to do better translations of reformed English into other languages. The UN switches from contemporary English to reformed English. India justifies making reformed English it’s primary language because it’s easier possible to translate it into it’s 22 other official languages. Computer translation will be better at that point, but computer translation profits a lot if there’s less polysemy.
The EU also would profit from making reformed English it’s main language of business. Politically it might be easier to declare reformed English to be the main EU language than to declare contempory English the main EU language.
If the US wants to declare reformed English to be the main language it can simply choose to conduct it’s government business in it and make standardized tests in reformed English.
Scientists in the humanities might change their journals in a way where new articles have to be submitted in reformed English and there’s a translation in normal English available. Less polysemy might make some debates clearer.
Besides reducing polysemy one of the main tasks of reforming English would be to make it more phonetic.
Given that we have discussion on LW about very theoretical issues, it’s interesting that you choose to ask this question in this context. There likely some triggered ugg-field. Tribal political instincts that don’t belong.
There are multiple practical aspects. It’s very useful to understand that language is not perfect for rationality in general. Secondly KevinGrant opened this discussion because he designs a Conlang. In the context of Conlang design it’s important to openly speak about the flaws of the existing languages.
Given that both the German government and the French government actually do form their respective languages through government programs, the idea that you need to fine people is without basis.
Just because the US still works with inches and feets doesn’t mean that change is impossible if the will exists.
But if I wanted to lead the road to reformed English, I wouldn’t do it via the government. I would change the language in a way where it’s possible to automatically translate the new reformed English into contemporary English. I would provide wordpress plugins that allow a person to write his post in reformed English and at the same time show a normal English version on his website. If done with charismatic leadership, using reformed English becomes the thing that cool people do.
On of the aspects of reformed English would be that it has less polysemy. That means it’s possible to do better translations of reformed English into other languages. The UN switches from contemporary English to reformed English. India justifies making reformed English it’s primary language because it’s easier possible to translate it into it’s 22 other official languages. Computer translation will be better at that point, but computer translation profits a lot if there’s less polysemy.
The EU also would profit from making reformed English it’s main language of business. Politically it might be easier to declare reformed English to be the main EU language than to declare contempory English the main EU language.
If the US wants to declare reformed English to be the main language it can simply choose to conduct it’s government business in it and make standardized tests in reformed English.
Scientists in the humanities might change their journals in a way where new articles have to be submitted in reformed English and there’s a translation in normal English available. Less polysemy might make some debates clearer.
Besides reducing polysemy one of the main tasks of reforming English would be to make it more phonetic.