Study shows NYC home to 800 spoken languages, most linguistically diverse.

[kingsdl76]

A recent study posted by the New York Times reveals that as many as 800 languages are spoken within New York City.

This would make NYC the most linguistically diverse city in the world.

Here's the link to the entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/nyregion/29lost.html

[pico44]

Don't people speak over 15,000 languages in London?

Seriously, I always thought it was funny that London seemed so desperate to best New York's boast that it was home more languages than any other city. I saw it as an attempt to reinvent itself in New York's image, and they are doing admirably.

But New York will always be the original multicultural city.

[lfc4life]

Originally Posted by pico44

Don't people speak over 15,000 languages in London?

according to that link 176 languages are spoken in NYC schools, the figure usually mentioned for london is 300

[brickell]

Originally Posted by pico44

But New York will always be the original multicultural city.

Alexandria, Rome, Cordoba, Constantinople,
I'm sure there's a few dozen African and East Asian cities that Muppet can let us in on.

But the point is that large cities have always been regional and international draws. They're the centerpieces of commercial and cultural networks. People of all walks will find there way there. New York and London were just the 20th century versions of that.

It'll be interesting to see who emerges as the hub of the 21st century.

[Crawford]

The problem is what is a language?

Is Haitian Creole considered French? Heck, is Swiss German really German?

One could say there are an infinite number of languages in a given geography.

[10023]

Originally Posted by Crawford

The problem is what is a language?

Is Haitian Creole considered French? Heck, is Swiss German really German?

One could say there are an infinite number of languages in a given geography.

Long Island and Jersey English should probably be considered distinct dialects, at the very least.

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by pico44

But New York will always be the original multicultural city.

I agree with Brickell, WTF??

[10023]

Originally Posted by pico44

But New York will always be the original multicultural city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Babel

[pico44]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

I agree with Brickell, WTF??

Before New York, no other city in the history of the world relied so much on the immigration of people from around the world to achieve greatness. It isn't opinion. It is a fact.

[Matty]

^ Then show me the data.

[texcolo]

Originally Posted by pico44

Before New York, no other city in the history of the world relied so much on the immigration of people from around the world to achieve greatness. It isn't opinion. It is a fact.

Um... how about Rome during the Roman Empire?

[pico44]

Originally Posted by Matty

^ Then show me the data.

Where do i start? It might be the most thoroughly documented migration of humans in history. And probably the most romanticized.

Do you want a single source or a library?

[pico44]

Originally Posted by texcolo

Um... how about Rome during the Roman Empire?

Um, what about it?

[Nowhereman1280]

Pico has a point that amount of immigration to NYC and number of different places that those people came from is far beyond anything any other city has seen. Were there a bunch of people who were not Roman in Rome, sure, but it was probably only a few percent of the total. In NYC its foreign born population has reached numbers as high as 50% of the total and sits at 36% right now. I suppose NYC might not be the first Multi-cultural city, but it was definitely the first truly global city. London had a head start on NYC during the glory years of the British Empire, but NYC quickly surpassed it in the era of Globalization.

[muppet]

pico, learn your history. There are many cities in the past that relied on trade (and thus immigrants), from medieval London (that was as multicultural as today, with one third foreign born) to Ancient Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Xian, Beijing and Baghdad. Think of the Silk Route, populated by nothing but travellers from Europe to East Asia. Then of course there are the cities so ancient and historically active they could not possible be native:

For example, Damascus, ruled by no less than the:

Aramaeans
Mesopotamians
Babylonians
Persians
Greeks
Romans
Nabataeans
Romans again
Ummayads
Abbasids
Hamdanids
the Qaramita.
Cairene Fatimids
self rule
Ottoman Fatimids
Seljuk Turks
Burid Emirs
Zengids
Saladin of Egypt
Uyyabids
Mongols
Mamluks
Turco-Mongols
Mamluks
Ottoman Turks
Pasha of Egypt.
Kingdom of Syria
French
Vichy French
Allied Forces
Syrian Arab Republic


So long as you have borders, border changes, wars, empires and trade, you will also have multiculturalism.

[brickell]

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Pico has a point that amount of immigration to NYC and number of different places that those people came from is far beyond anything any other city has seen.

I cant' accept that, but it does lead me to wonder if we ARE at a special place in time. The intersection of globalism, urbanism and modern transportation. Nationalism and Globalism is quickly drowning out smaller cultures and languages. Whereas Europe went through this for the most part, I would think this is accelerating in China, India, Indonesia. With modern transportation we can now ship that culture all around the world in a matter of days instead of months, and likewise it can come to our shores.

In theory, as transportation options increase, total global cultural diversity decreases. There has to be a tipping point at which the rate of cultural exchange is greatest.

The question then becomes, is that enough to make a difference, especially for places with a natural geographic advantage (ie Damascus and not New York).

[pico44]

Originally Posted by muppet

So long as you have borders, border changes, wars, empires and trade, you will also have multiculturalism.

I think you are confusing multiculturalism with imperialism. I'm holding my ground.

[pico44]

Originally Posted by brickell

I cant' accept that, but it does lead me to wonder if we ARE at a special place in time. The intersection of globalism, urbanism and modern transportation. Nationalism and Globalism is quickly drowning out smaller cultures and languages. Whereas Europe went through this for the most part, I would think this is accelerating in China, India, Indonesia. With modern transportation we can now ship that culture all around the world in a matter of days instead of months, and likewise it can come to our shores.

In theory, as transportation options increase, total global cultural diversity decreases. There has to be a tipping point at which the rate of cultural exchange is greatest.

The question then becomes, is that enough to make a difference, especially for places with a natural geographic advantage (ie Damascus and not New York).

While I have no idea what you're talking about in the last paragraph, you make same good points. Namely that time, technology and geography play into our increasingly global society. New York came along at the perfect time, and was in the perfect place. It went from verdant woodland to massive global city in about 250 years. Not through imperialism but by being a place to go...

And stay...

For everyone.

[someone123]

I've always found it a little crass how cities (well, their respective cheerleaders at least) collect minority groups in an attempt to prove something to the rest of the world.

You know, Toronto does it too..

[10023]

Originally Posted by someone123

I've always found it a little crass how cities (well, their respective cheerleaders at least) collect minority groups in an attempt to prove something to the rest of the world.

You know, Toronto does it too..

Yep.

And also, they do not count unless they make a solid contribution to the city's gastronomic offerings. That's why Mexicans > Dominicans, etc.