From: li@sicvax.enet.dec.com (Tong-Kang Li)
Subject: Re: BSR and WSR
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 03:42:34 GMT


In article <BuJ7nF.LG5@rlyeh.multisys.com>, rot@multisys.com (Republic of Taiwan) writes...
>In article <1992Sep13.134406.3727@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> li@sicvax.enet.dec.com (Tong-Kang Li) writes:
> 
>=is a good idea to have one language that everyone should speak fluently, ie., 
> 
>It is also a good idea to force everyone on earth to speak one tone. ;-)

I only apply this within Taiwan. I have no interest expansion. Certainly 
you can expand your "Republic of Taiwan" to "Republic of Earth" as you wish.

>=a common language. I dont mind if it is a English, Holo, or Mandarin as long 
>=as most people agree to. Otherwise, how many different dialects do we have in 
>=Taiwan now? And if there is no common language how are we going to communicate 
> 
>How many different dialests, language and whatever you name it on the
>Earth now.

A lot a lot different dialects in the Earth and a lot different dialects 
in Taiwan, so what you want to say now?

>=to each other? Also we should protect other dialects, schools can provide 
> 
>People on the Earth seems to communicate with each other pretty
>well, why would people in Taiwan so different from the people on
>the Earth?
>Especially in the UN, no one complains about communication problem
>and no one dares to propose one tone only policy in th UN.  ;-)

Only several languages from hundred languages are using in UN. UN meeting
is held for several weeks a year only. But a common language will be spoken 
daily.

>=optional language courses to those who are interested also media provide 
>=enough spaces for them, etc...
>=
>=One common language with coexistence of all languages.
> 
>Next one will be one common gender.

I never suggest this. But if you are interested I can introduce a doctor
help you change your gender.

>I guess I am in favor of freedom of choice. I hate someone
>force me to do something I don't want to.

Who cares what you want to do?

>=As for Mandarin, Mandarin is not mothertongue to most of WSRs in Taiwan and 
>=certainly is not mine either. But everyone in Taiwan can speak Mandarin now. 
>=You may argue it is KMT language policy by mistakes. But remember 2000 
>=years ago, Chin dynasty unified the Chinese characters so we are all benefit 
>=from it now. Can you imagine the government has to publish a document with 
>=many different kind of characters?
>
>I don't see any problem in the UN and some other multilinguals countries.

I don't see any problem in the common-language countries either.

>=I know language is very emotional issue but if you see it as just a 
>=communication tool. English is now commonly used as a communication tool 
>=for speaking/writing at most of international conferences but not Mandarin 
>=and many of us take that well and dont feel any inferior about our language 
>=and Chinese/Han characters.
> 
>Exactly, it is a tool, then why you want to force other
>to use the tool you think it is the best. Maybe other
>people loves to use other tool. So it is a 'freedom
>of choice' and 'freedom of dictatorship'.

Did I suggest which language is the best? If majority of people prefer no
common language but many different languages. Fine with me. I only suggested 
the advantage of "a common language with coexistence of other languages"
and dont expect everyone agrees with me.

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