There needs to be a universal word for "Language?"

[Maenad]

Kind of like how "Ciao" is common to quite a few languages; having a word for "Language?" that's the same in absolutely all languages would break down some communication barriers. You would not need to speak someone's language in order to ask them what language they speak.

[Phunkie]

JUST DO IT VISUALLY.

I don't speak ___________.

I = point at yourself.
Don't = wave your finger like a no
Speak = point away from your mouth with your index finger
_____________ = point at some word in whatever language with your finger and hope they understand


You may need to repeat this a few times.

[Maenad]

JUST DO IT VISUALLY.

I don't speak ___________.

I = point at yourself.
Don't = wave your finger like a no
Speak = point away from your mouth with your index finger
_____________ = point at some word in whatever language with your finger and hope they understand


You may need to repeat this a few times.

>complicated process with chance of failure
>single word

[Phunkie]

>complicated process with chance of failure
>single word

It's fun!!!!

[Campylobacter jejuni]

Should have let us won the war. Everyone would know German!

[Xemnas]

Should have let us won the war. Everyone would be dead!
Mutually assured destruction

[Episkey]

Logos?

That's universal.

[Blassreiter]

I think the vowel "a" is perhaps the most plausible. Pronounced in the Latin way it sounds like "ah". I think it's prominent in every language in the world so no languages should have trouble saying it. Visually this vowel is the one that makes you open your mouth which represents voice. Thus it could be a good way to say "language".

Possible drawbacks could arise where cultures that consider open mouth to be rude/pejorative wont understand what you really mean, or it may collide with the expression "Ah" conveying surprise or sudden awareness of something.

[Timotei]

It's fun!!!!

In some cultures, waving your finger can be a sign of insult.


Also, you can just say the name of your language, if they have an IQ over 70 and have common knowledge of languages, they should be able to retort your statement with their own. If they don't... Then well, you shouldn't be speaking with them in the first place.

[Kueh]

I would think this is superfluous.

First of all, there's the problem of what would the word even sound like? Second of all, if you find yourself in a situation where you meet someone and can't know the language they're speaking by the way it sounds, you're not going to be able to talk to them. What use is it if you know what language they speak?

[TLCBonaparte]

I would prefer


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS1cLOIxsQ8