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[Helgoland]

I think we should revive classical Latin as lingua franca for political and legal matters. The Galactic Senate would be so much cooler with allusions to classical Roman speeches~

[Sergarr]

I think we should revive classical Latin as lingua franca for political and legal matters. The Galactic Senate would be so much cooler with allusions to classical Roman speeches~

I don't think Chinese and Indians would agree with that statement...

[Sheb]

English ain't much better than Latin in that regard.

[lijacote]

I think it is a dangerous simplification, to think that either language determines or is determined by our "other" being, thought or otherwise. If we think that language determines our being, that is idealism. Language doesn't descend from on high, but is shaped and formed by us in our current condition, as allowed by the past. But it would be, I think, a step too far to think that language has no effect on us. It is clearly a tool, it is clearly something that can shape nations, or help shape nations (among other uses). I've understood that a "soft" adoption of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis can be useful, but perhaps it then becomes a bit trivial? Like my post!

Drawn to the extreme, the idea of language (not to go into the difficulty of defining language) being the determinant leads to Hegelian silliness.

To Hegel, the life-process of the human brain, i.e. the process of thinking, which, under the name of 'the Idea', he even transforms into an independent subject, is the demiurgos of the real world, and the real world is only the external, phenomenal form of 'the Idea'. With me, on the contrary, the ideal is nothing else than the material world reflected by the human mind, and translated into forms of thought.

You can not just decide on a lingua franca, you also have to drive it materially to be a lingua franca. English is not dominant because of its linguistic qualities, at least not mainly, but because it was, in fact, the language of one of the largest empires in the world (if not the largest, depending on how you measure things, and in what period).

[Il Palazzo]

IF anyone's interested in the subject, and would like to inform their stance by something more than just a gut feeling and a sour recollection of Sapir-Whorf, do have a read through some those:
http://lera.ucsd.edu/papers/
There's a section of well-written popular articles as well.

[martinuzz]

Just a little anecdote on culture, communication and language:

A lot of the forum users here, will envision the future as lying in front of them, and the past behind them. This shows well in non verbal communication; when talking about the past, people tend to make forwardish gestures, while speaking of past events tends to make us tilt our head slightly, and move our eyes as if we were about to look over our shoulders to what's behind us.

Now, linguistic antropologists discovered that in other cultures, for example in Madagaskar, it is exactly the other way around. People will make forwardish gestures when speaking of the past, and slight movements as if looking backwards when speaking of the future.

It has to do with how the concept of time is percieved, and composed into the cultural language.

In english, we literally say "the past is behind us", and "the future lies ahead of us"
Literal translation however of local language of Madagskar would come down to "the past is in our view (because we were there and witnessed it), while the future is unseen (so it must lie behind us, where we cannot see)".

Here's an interesting read on the more general topic of language and cultural development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_relativity

[Sergarr]

Just a little anecdote on culture, communication and language:

A lot of the forum users here, will envision the future as lying in front of them, and the past behind them.

Personally, I imagine the past to be to the left of me, and future - to the right.

But that's just me.

[martinuzz]

Just a little anecdote on culture, communication and language:

A lot of the forum users here, will envision the future as lying in front of them, and the past behind them.

Personally, I imagine the past to be to the left of me, and future - to the right.

But that's just me.

Do you work in any profession that requires you to draw a lot of graphs where time is plotted on the x-axis?

 

[SirQuiamus]

I think we should revive classical Latin as lingua franca for political and legal matters.

Oh yes. Intensive Latin lessons would do so much good for our politicians and lawyers.

[Digital Hellhound]

Just a little anecdote on culture, communication and language:

A lot of the forum users here, will envision the future as lying in front of them, and the past behind them.

Personally, I imagine the past to be to the left of me, and future - to the right.

But that's just me.

Do you work in any profession that requires you to draw a lot of graphs where time is plotted on the x-axis?

 

This is basically also how I imagine time. I... don't think it has anything to do with graph-drawing, but maybe it does with all the left-to-right timelines I've seen. I think Finnish mainly goes with the 'future forward, past backward' thing, if I think about it, so maybe I'm a freak of nature.

[Il Palazzo]

The most likely culprit here is the direction you write.

[Guardian G.I.]

For years, the Russian hordes have menacingly looked upon Sweden, itching to destroy it. But now, the free people of Sweden can feel safe and sound - no ryss can get through this defence!

[scriver]

Hehe. In not so sure, from what I know of navies that might just attract more submarines, from all over the world

[martinuzz]

In related news, a few days ago the Dutch government officially decided that submarine crews should no longer be restricted to male only. Up until now that was officially the case.

...

It is expected that the new rule can take effect in about 10 years (lol). First, submarines will need to be refitted with separate showers and toilets for males and females.

I am not joking.

The official reason, which in the past has even held in court in sex discrimination cases, for restricting submarine crews to male only has always been that defense department cannot guarantuee that females will not be sexually abused in the cramped showering space of a submarine, and as such did not want to take that responsibility.

I think they'll be fine, just like the boys. Just don't drop that soap.

[Zangi]

On one hand, sexual assault is a thing that happens.  Morale of the crew will take a hit if it gets into a legal thing, no matter who wins, someone is going to be out or someone will be left working with a crew they are uncomfortable with.
It is a potential problem that will come up when it gets implemented, no matter the number of safeguards/regulations/threats.  Even then, after it happens, there will be pressure to just accept it/not report it.  Cause it will be bad for the crew morale and stuff like getting the whole crew grounded while investigating the accusations.

On the other hand, equality and 'sexual assault should not be a thing that happens' anyways. 
Silent pressure to not report or to even classify sexual assault as something else entirely is also a thing.  Despite the public hoo-haa of equality and mutual respect. 
Cause it has to work on paper or it'll be doomed in not just this, but other endeavors where you have people couped up in a small area for extended periods of time.  It might work out most of the time(by interpretation), but those few cases that do happen may tarnish it and further increase the silent pressure as more onerous regulation/punishment are placed in a reactionary manner.

EDIT: Well, you can't make progress keeping things the way they are currently...  So yea... sacrifice of the few for the future.