Opportunities for UNL in the Knowledge Based Society of the 21st Century J.P.Contzen ICUKL-2002 Goa November 29, 2002

The characteristics of the Knowledge Based Society (1) A Society far from being dematerialized, but relying increasingly on the detention and the exchange of Knowledge. Globalized, interconnected Society with multiple opportunities as well as threats, requiring strong governance

The characteristics of the Knowledge Based Society (2) Science ensures the constant reinforcement of the Knowledge base; no plateau in its development Information technologies continue to impact significantly on Society; all the e-xxxxx are affecting our way to do business, to communicate, to use our leisure time

The characteristics of the Knowledge Based Society (3) General level of education is raising in the world, improving the access of youger generations to languages Political trend towards Regionalization, leading to the revival of an active interest for local cultures

The characteristics of the Knowledge Based Society (4) The 21st Century does inherit from divides of the past decades (social divide, literacy divide, digital divide, age divide). Will it be able to reduce such divides?

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (1) Globalization favours the dominance of a few languages, even if it has stimulated organized initiatives of cultural resistance Regionalization goes in the opposite direction

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (2) English is comforting its position as the main language for scientific and technological activities. It is the attractiveness of the American Universities and of their Science system that is responsible for such a situation, not economic or political pressures. Be excellent and your language will be used. S&T development do not constitute the main client for UNL

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (3) On the contrary, English is no longer the predominant language on Internet. English is used currently by 36.5% of the on-line population, followed by: People:on-line popul. Contents: web pages 1.English36.5%1.English68.4% 2.Chinese10.8%2.Japanese and German 5.8%

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (4) 3.Japanese9.7% 4.Spanish7.4%4.Chinese3.9% 5.German6.6%5.French3.0% 6.Korean4.5%6.Spanish2.4% 7.Italian3.8%7.Russian1.9% 8.French3.5%8.Italian1.6% 9.Portuguese3.0%9.Portuguese1.4% 10.Russian2.9%10.Korean1.3%

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (5) Evolution of the non English speaking on line population : Virtually Zero in million projected in 2005 (over a total of about 1100 million): –Chinese 220M –Japanese 105M –Spanish 80M

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (6) –German 79M –Korean 50M –French 49M –Italian 42M –Portuguese 38M –Scandinavian 15M –Dutch 15M Source: Revision October 31st, 2002

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (7) This is good news for UNL if we do not wish that Internet becomes a series of leaktight knowledge reservoirs accessible only to those mastering many languages. Easy access to an increasingly multilingual internet could by itself be an excellent challenge for UNL

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (8) The guarantee of such an easy access would encourage nations, regional groups to use it more for making their cultures better known using their own language

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (9) The other social purpose of UNL should lie in the assistance to minorities, to groups such as: –Small language groups –Migrant populations –Less favoured layers of the education system, including those needing lifelong learning –Less favoured social groups –Small enterprises

UNL in the Knowledge Based Society (10) UNL could play a significant role in ensuring dialogue within the diversified Knowledge Based Society of the 21st Century and assist in reducing inequalities that the excesses of the 20th Century have created. Let us work together towards this objective.