International auxiliary language

An international auxiliary language (sometimes abbreviated as IAL or auxlang) is, generally speaking, a language used for communication between people from different nations who do not share a common native language. See also lingua franca.

The term "auxiliary" implies that it is not intended to replace the native languages of the people from around the world using it, but rather is intended to serve as a standard to avoid the need for its would-be users to learn all of the languages in its pool of users.

Often, the phrase is used to refer to constructed languages proposed specifically to serve its purpose of international communication worldwide, such as Esperanto, Ido, Interlingua, Volapük, and others.

However, it can also refer in general to the concept of such a language being determined by international consensus (including even an existing language so chosen).

In order to overcome the present _relative_ lack of use of invented languages envisioned for widespread international use (or for the inability of already existing languages such as English or French to penetrate as universally and deeply as some imagine they already have or wish they would) and to overcome the partisan bickering between advocates of different language candidates, it has been advocated that some language, whether existing or invented, be chosen by consensus through a convocation of elected officials representing all the various nations and peoples from around the world (in consultation with experts in various disciplines). The decision arrived at would be implemented throughout the whole world just as national representatives have presently and in the past determined and implemented policies to teach the language or languages of their own respective nations. Again, this does not necessarily envision eliminating or failing to support native languages, only standardizing a language as an official second language.

(Such a world auxiliary language may in this scheme need to become possibly an official _third_ language, etc. (assuming the language chosen were not already spoken in the country), for countries which already have multiple official languages and wouldn't opt to reduce the number of languages taught at once to all their citizens.)

Such a choice of language is not restricted in conception to an official spoken language, but also could include an official written script.

The adoption of an official script for the blind to coincide with such a script has also been considered by its advocates.

Moreover, since there are also various mutually unintelligible sign languages throughout the world as well, sign languages such as Gestuno have also been proposed and/or designed to serve the role of serving as a lingua franca throughout the world (for the deaf at least). As in the case with Esperanto (or other languages being proposed to fill such a role), however, the idea may not have spread as universally as intended, so an official political endorsement from the nations of the world which could back up the endorsement with resources for instruction and implementation (if the language to be selected has already evolved or been devised) is also advocated by some (whether or not it would coincide with the decision on the spoken language or written script, given that sign languages are generally languages which are independent of spoken or written forms and are thus seen by some as all not needing to be decided upon in conjunction with each other).