Conference Paper

In real life, the equality and parity of languages cannot be maintained for an extended time as the international community tends to function in one or a few languages, mainly for practical purposes but also to diminish the advantages enjoyed by native speakers of working or official languages. Languages in general convey the cultures of their native speakers, as well as their concepts, qualities, relations and terms (called “universals” in philosophy). The United States, for instance, does not have an official language by law, yet de facto, English has grown into that role. This paper is dedicated to the search for an ideal solution for EU institutions, which would make not only states but also their citizens more equal. The EU and other European organizations and their institutions will eventually need a common language in addition to all languages currently in use, if they are to achieve a broader social integration, a sense of European citizenship, new opportunities for study and work in wider geographic areas, and businesses able to reach out to all parts of the Single market while being more competitive abroad. This chapter is divided into four parts: Multilingualism in the EU; Legal aspects; Monolingualism; The future. European and other languages can definitely serve peace, development and the general progress of the global world as we know it.