[kentbrookug]

I agree in principle that speaking a same language increases mutual understanding. However some cultural differences exist in spite of the language (e.g. UK vs US, or even US vs Canada), which are more linked to the political system, local history and actual people who make up the society.

I think that we are going toward having one lingua franca in Europe, and this will be English. The "Arab" world (which is not really ethnically uniform) has long used classical Arabic as its lingua franca. China has Mandarin. India has Hindi and English. Yet Europe, India and China all have dozens of languages besides that (even hundreds in India's case). English is becoming increasingly like a second language in Japan and Korea. It is in the way in China too. So eventually, yes, I think that everybody will have to speak English. It will get people closer together, but it won't erase all cultural differences, only a few.

I think that all countries and regions should keep their original language for the sake of diversity and cultural richness, but I hope that the knowledge of English will bring a common field for communication fostering a better language-based understanding.