Brian Friel's play, Translations is a harsh reminder of the perils a country can face as a result of losing its language. If we think that Ireland has had (and still has) such an identity crisis, what about the prospect of the entire planet tuning in to a non-stop diet of English, specifically US English, via the Internet?
US English dominates the Web. But does this represent an underhand, neo-colonial form of control or are individuals and smaller countries in a position to do anything about it? The truth is that while US English has indeed become the de facto language of international business and commerce on the Internet, its widespread use should not prevent other languages from prospering. In fact, the opposite could be the case, as the Internet could be used to regenerate many dying languages. As this linguistic rejuvenation gathers momentum, the present widespread use of English on the Web may become less threatening.
The Manx expression "Gyn chengey, gyn cheer" ("No language, no country") is similar to the Irish "Tir gan teanga, tir gan anam" ("A land without a language is a land without a soul"). These sayings represent many nations' concerns about the proliferation and perceived dominance of one language over another. Humans like to mark things out in their own way, and preserving a native language can rekindle a sense of place and belonging. This sense of belonging can be strengthened if people find their own niche and make it work for them, rather than feeling compelled to follow the dominant market. Manx itself, the native language of the Isle of Man, almost became extinct 100 years ago.
The good news is that, on the Internet, more websites dealing with dead or dying languages are being set up. For example, there are now hundreds of websites devoted to the language and culture of the Isle of Man. As these websites spread the word (literally) each language is revitalised. The Yamada Language Centre (wsbabel.uoregon.edu/YLC/guides.html), for example, lists 112 fonts for 40 non-Roman languages. It displays fonts for Morse Code and the Tolkien language - as well as Klingon and Romulan, for the Star Trek freaks among us.
These services are timely, as many languages have been (and continue to be) threatened with extinction. In particular, those languages which are spoken rather than written, such as Scots and Doric, can be preserved and used with relative ease on the Internet. Ancient songs, poems, and ballads from Scotland and other Celtic countries are being preserved by being recorded on the Web. You can listen to hundreds of different Celtic tunes at www.ceolas.org/tunes/ and some great Irish music is available on Akula.com, (www.akula.com/
blakeley/music/index.html)
Ironically, the technology that threatened the demise of so many languages may become responsible for their revival, continued use and ever-growing popularity. In time, many not-so-well-known languages could become the main medium of commerce and business in certain areas. We must not assume that what dominates today will still do so in years to come.
It's only a matter of time before minority - and not so minority - languages become more prolific on the Web. When this happens, user-specificity will become more widespread, and the prolific use of English will seem less daunting. Soon, domain names in non-Roman characters will be freely available. This will open up a vast market, and those who use non-Roman alphabets will be able to access sites without being forced to learn the Roman alphabet. The English language will take its place as just another language on the Web.
Translation is another huge growth area on the Internet. Babelfish (babelfish.altavista.com/translate.dyn) is one such site. At present, only fairly rough interpretations are available, but this is bound to improve. Another way to get over linguistic difficulties on the Internet, the use of symbols may well become more prolific in the near future. The @ sign, which is now widely used and understood was apparently first used by Italian merchants 500 years ago. This @ sign has been adopted recently by the Finnish as a signpost representing public access to e-mail and the Internet.
For all we know, the dominant language on the Internet may well end up being English, but this shouldn't preclude people from having their say in their own language - and being understood.
Catherine McDonnell writes about technology for Nua at www.nua.ie She can be contacted at catherine@nua.ie