âIn todayâs globalized world, nationality, as the traditional definition of identity, is becoming increasingly irrelevant. What, therefore, still separates us?
Modern communications technology means that physical space is no longer a real barrier; online, we can speak directly with someone thousands of miles away, watch events in far-flung corners of the world as they unfold, and spread revolutions using only social networks. The Occupy movement is a prime example of this: its followers largely belong to the young, connected, globalized generation and the movementâs message has therefore transcended national boundaries to gain support across the globe.
What, therefore, still separates us? With national borders becoming increasingly fuzzy, one of the very few remaining barriers to an entirely globalized world is language. Language, as a shared heritage, connects us with strangers; and language, as an impenetrable barrier, separates us from the rest of the world. To learn a foreign language is to gain access into a new community, and gradually to improve, to feel the fog of confusion lift as you begin to understand what is going on around you, is one of the most rewarding experiences possible.
The role of language in the world has been brilliantly and very beautifully demonstrated by the artist and cartographer Eric Fischer. Using the Twitter API and language recognition software, Fischer has mapped the global use of languages on Twitter. This fascinating map paints a different picture to the standard global map: language boundaries are blurred, and more permeable than political boundaries. For instance, spots of Spanish-speaking pink leap across the US-Mexico border with an ease many people in the physical world dream of, demonstrating the strength of the Spanish language in the Southern states, especially Texas.â
http://www.institutohemingway.com/Language-the-final-frontier-10291.html
âFischer made English gray, and so a dull glow pervades the continent. A sprinkling of Spanish-tweeting pockets, are shown in pink, in states like Texas and Arizona, and the pinkness deepens south of the border. The Caribbean islands show up as a colorful hodgepodge of gray, pink, and purple (French). And notice the vein of purple along the Saint Lawrence River in Canada, denoting the French-tweeting Quebecois.â
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/11/worlds-languages-according-twitter/44690/
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