this post was submitted on 05 Aug 2025
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[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world -3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Depends on what you consider “success”.

Being a well structured language that is consistent and easy to use. As in “high quality tool”

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yes, I thought you might refer to that.

So, by that definition, you consider Toki Pona far more successful language than English, I take it?

It is much better structured and far simpler to use.

[–] jwiggler@sh.itjust.works -2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'm confused why you seem to think that because English is the most popular second language, that automatically means it is the best communication tool. Don't you think the reason it is so well-known is more because the US (and UK, to a lesser extent) is such a dominant force economically and militarily? That non-English-speaking states consider it important to learn, so they teach it early in school -- and then on top of that the largest film industry is in the US, so English content is pretty available?

I mean, there is a lot more external force going behind the dissemination of English than that of Toki Pona, so I dunno, seems pretty silly to attribute it's "success" (popularity) to some internal aspect of the language.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No no no no.

YOU made a claim. I asked you how you define the "best" language. You clarified. Simplicity and good structure.

Toki Pona definitely has better structure and is simpler than English.

Yet you now refuse to stand behind the argument you made?

"Sad."

[–] jwiggler@sh.itjust.works 0 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I'm not the OP, I'm just asking you a genuine question dude. Why are you so friggin hot.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Oh, youre a random interjecting. Sorry I don't pay attention to usernames when the content seems similar from the quality and content.

Yeah Skullgrid makes the argument. By his criteria Toki Pona is better than English.

I'm just asking why he would say such a ridiculous thing.

Perhaps it's because he doesn't realise that how "good" a language is isn't anything as simple as "structure and simplicity".

Perhaps you agree with him and would like to explain why you do?

[–] jwiggler@sh.itjust.works 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I didn't say that I agreed with them... You're kinda being a dick dude, why? All I said was that just because English is popular, doesn't mean it's an inherently "good" language, whatever that means. There are external factors that, I think, have more to do with its popularity than its inherent and independent usability as a tool.

At first I just wanted to know if you didn't think that that was the case? But it doesn't seem like you actually want to converse and instead want an argument to win, so honestly I'm not really interested in what you have to say, now. Thanks for unmasking!

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

And I never said what you think I did.

I'm merely pointing out his definition of what a language needs to be "successful" is insanely reductive.

With his argument, Toki Pona is better than English.

I haven't claimed anything about English. I'm asking him (or you) about the argument already made.