English has some good properties for a common language:
- It has a simple grammar
- It is spoken by the entertaining media
- It already has a head start
Now, if they could actually fix the major flaws:
- Spelling is absurd. It's not just bad, it is absurd.
- For foreigners, the UK accents are terrible. It took me a couple of days in London before I could understand people; and I came from a base of being perfectly fluent
Come to think of it. Scratch that fixing the UK accent part. It's a cool accent, double-oh seven style.
For the love of god, fix the spelling:
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"Eye Rhymes, by Helen Bowyer"
Bear and dear // Share, I fear // The pointless deceptivness // Of there and here.
Some and home // Tomb and comb, // Sin against the tongue // Like from and whom.
Howl and bowl // Foul and soul, // Mislead the ear // Like doll and toll. //
Give and dive // Live and thrive, // Bewilder the moppet // Of six or five.
Love and hove // Dove and strove // Sound no more alike // Than glove and cove.
Pew and sew // Do and go // Fail expectation // Like now and slow.
Laid and said // Must be read // As if they rhymed // With neighed and Ned.
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As I said before, English spelling's bonkers.