Words We Share opens a public proposal for a shared second language

Words We Share has launched an online prototype, white paper, and interactive examples exploring whether people from different language backgrounds could use a voluntary shared second language. The project is untested and not a live language program, but it invites educators, researchers, and the public to evaluate the idea independently.

Why it matters: - Words We Share is testing a broad question with practical implications for cross-community communication: whether people can adopt a voluntary shared second language without replacing the languages they already use. - The project frames the idea as a possible tool for easier everyday cooperation while trying to respect language identity and tradition. - The prototype is unproven, so its value for learning, comprehension, and conflict reduction remains unknown.

What happened: - Words We Share published an online language prototype, an open white paper, and interactive examples at Words We Share. - The project presents a 120-word starter vocabulary, limited grammar, and a sentence builder. - The prototype includes the example phrase “Mi soma luga,” which means “I study a language.” - The materials are available for public discussion and independent exploration, not as a launched language program or learner study.

The details: - The site invites readers, educators, language enthusiasts, and researchers to examine the proposal and consider whether to champion, investigate, or develop it. - Downloads include the 120-word starter vocabulary, the limited grammar, and the white paper written by Conscious Observer, a pen name. - The original writing and language proposal are released under CC0 1.0, allowing reuse and adaptation without required credit. - Third-party sources keep their own rights, and website code is available under the MIT License. More details are available in the reuse terms. - The project draws inspiration from The Loom of Language, the 1944 book by Frederick Bodmer, edited and arranged by Lancelot Hogben. - Words We Share revisits the idea of a shared auxiliary language and says it explores candidate vocabulary from a broader range of language traditions. - Many proposed word origins still need verification and review by speakers of the relevant languages.

Between the lines: - The proposal is positioned as a research and discussion starter, not a finished product. - The project’s emphasis on voluntary use suggests it is aiming for cooperation rather than replacement of existing languages. - The white paper acknowledges major unknowns, including whether the system is equally easy for everyone or whether it can deliver any social benefit. - The inclusion of open licensing signals a push for outside reuse and independent development.

What's next: - The paper outlines possible voluntary studies with learners from different backgrounds to test understanding, memory, pronunciation, and learning effort. - It also suggests comparing the prototype with existing auxiliary languages, instruction in existing languages, and translation tools. - Those studies are only proposals at this stage and are not underway as an author-run program. - The project says independent investigators would need to take up any future testing or development.

The bottom line: - Words We Share is a public experiment in whether a small, voluntary shared language could help people communicate across communities, but its real-world usefulness has not been established.