In Canada, that is English. In South America, it is Spanish and Portuguese . Visiting another country immerses the traveler in a different world, one of unique smells, foods, sounds, tempos, rituals, and people. Such differences can be exhilarating. Some linguists believe that the loss of languages around the world will lead to a loss of cultural diversity.
Language is unique because it reflects what is important to each culture.
Think of all the words that computer technology, specifically the Internet, has spawned in American culture. In 1997, Millennium Bug was chosen as the word of the year by the American Dialect Society. On the other hand, an agricultural society more in tune with the Earth and its cycles may contain more words relating to the natural rhythm of the land. It makes you a fuller human being, seeing the world from as many perspectives as possible. In the chart to the right, look at the top six languages spoken in the world today.