Country Differences Questions

[Meego]

Okay, so I have a lot of questions about differences in other countries.

This is really random but why do different countries have different plug sockets? I mean, what is the point in that? I went to France and the plugs are different and apparently from my dad the ones in America are different too...why?

Why does everyone speak different, complicated languages? I understand that they are all varied and cool in their own way but why are they all different? Because, how much easier would it be if we could all understand each other?

This isn't necessarily for countries, but why do people have accents? How do they get accents?

These are all questions that haunt me.

 

[Xinnamin]

I have no idea about plug sockets. It actually really annoys me since I have to find an adapter every time I go to China, but I'm really not sure why it's like that. Different standards I guess?

The languages are all different since they all evolved in different areas. Humanity started out in scattered clumps of civilization with little to no contact with other clumps of civilizations. Needless to say it is extremely unlikely that the communication systems developed by each would be the same. Each clump developed their own languages, and languages evolved as they moved. Even if one language found its way into two areas, the language could then branch off in its evolution and become distinct. Small examples: British and American English have variations, Spanish and Mexican Spanish have differences. Other example: Japan borrowed its language foundation from the Chinese, and then added a whole ton of other stuff to it. It's just cultural evolution, and with all the languages out there, it would be impossible to make every country conform to the same primary language.

Accents are a by-product of that. Different languages use different intonations, and have or are missing certain sounds that are common in other languages. First example I can think of, Chinese people can't pronounce "th" because that's not natural in Chinese, and that makes up part of their accent. As for accents within a nation, I suppose those are just more regional differences from cultural evolution that found their way into speech patterns and got absorbed by people living there.

I'm no expert on human communication or cultural evolution, this is all just what I think is most likely.

 

[Vanessa28]

I agree with Xinny here. About the plugs I could use my plug in the UK but I bought two sets of plugs around the globe so I can use it when I have to go to another part of the world. I think it m ight have to do with the way the people were making cables etc.

Why do we speak all different languages? Yeah that's because long long time ago people spread and slowly might have created another language which became a future language. I don't know. I wasn't there when it happened

And accents? I think that's more a matter of personal ways to pronounce words. For instance I have a South-Hollands accent because I was born there and both my parents had it. I just think it's really a way of how people were using their language.

Funny questions I must say But I don't have the answers. Just my two cents to throw in

 

[dur.i.am]

The best reason I can currently think of for plug sockets having different shapes throughout the world is due to the fact that the world doesn't make technological advances as a whole. Each country moves forward seperately. Therefore our technology, although basically the same, will be slightly different in each country you go to.

The reasons for language have been explained, we started of as small groups of people, not groups in their millions. Thus to communicate each group started to make their own language, but other people never about this language, and created theirs. As we merged into larger groups out languages were put together to create new languages, and then when other cultures either took over through force or just by immigration, their language was mixed in. This happens over and over until you get the languages we have today. Although there are other reasons, like the meaning of a word changing. Or other words with the same meaning that are newer start to take the place of older words.

Accents is pretty much the same as languages, except each accent belongs to a group inside of a group. People start to talk differently depending on their education and heritage, and this means that with certain sounds missing or not used by others, we get an accent. People that then mix with a larger group of people that speak with the same accent then start to adapt to it without realising, prouncing words differently and some on.

I'm probably wrong with a fair amount, but I'm sure the majority is correct.

 

[Kybyrian]

I think that sockets thing is really annoying. I have no idea why they do it, but I suppose it's because they didn't have the idea of doing them all the same. Somebody created the sockets, then somebody made their own style of sockets in another country. Now it's too far to go back and redo all the sockets everywhere else.

As for the language, it's the same kind of thing, really. People started out in one place and made their own languages. Then when they started seeing all these people from different countries they never bothered to learn each the other people's language because they were so accustomed to their own. Like the sockets, it's too far to turn back and make the languages all the same. If they suddenly announced Japanese would be the new world language, what would you think?

 

[Meego]

Okay...good answers. Thanks guys. My brain isn't working today.

 

[February Eve]

I love languages. It's just so interesting to think of how differently people approached the same task of trying to communicate with each other. An article I once read talked about how when languages go extinct, we don't just lose a language, we lose its perspective. Let me post from wikipedia about the Japanese word itadakimasu:

Meals in Japan traditionally begin with the phrase itadakimasu (いただきます) (literally, "I humbly receive"). The phrase is similar to "bon appétit", or saying grace to give thanks before a meal. It is said to express gratitude for all who played a role in preparing, cultivating, ranching, or hunting the food. This also acknowledges that living organisms have given their life to human beings as Dāna.

It may be similar to saying grace, but to me, grace doesn't necessarily cover an appreciate for every step it took for the food to reach me. That's one reason it's so nice that language evolved in so many ways - we'd lose nuances like that otherwise.

In any case, in the future, we won't necessarily need to merge languages in order to communicate with each other more easily. A lot of people talk about English being a "global language". But others are constantly trying to refine translation tools, such as software. It's an extremely difficult task due to grammar irregularities, slang, sarcasm, etc. But that will maintain culture while at the same time allowing communication across barriers, and it could also be used to preserve endangered languages. If we ever have extremely successful translation tools, the only thing that makes me sad is that people will have less reason to branch out of their own language, and I think there's always value in learning something for yourself.

 

[TheGreen]

These questions aren't that odd, imo.
I also have a tough time figuring out why citizens of the world haven't sat down and said "Spanish is the easiest language let's all learn it." Or something like that. Also, what's with the US's standard measurements? Who decided to make up new measurements, or at least not switch when it was pretty clear that the rest of the world was giving up on 'feet' and 'inches'. It seems so primitive.

On sockets: Why are sockets different even within the us? Some extension cords have the two prongs and ground and some don't have the round ground prong. Why is this? Why can't my computer's power cord work with just two prongs? (I know why, but still...)
Also, why can't low and high voltage outlets look the same? Can I really not plug in a lamp and fridge in the same place? I understand that my fridge needs more power than you can get from a regular power socket, but why can't my less power hungry devices work with the fridge socket?