Do we need 23 official languages?

Some years ago, when the Cold War was going through that uncomfortable period which seemed to threaten mass destruction or mass democracy with equal probability, two British diplomats found themselves in conversation on a Moscow Street.

"The real trouble with the Russians," said one, "is that they have no word for détente." His colleague nodded solemnly in agreement.

The story is of course a joke about language, which, at the risk of insulting the intelligence of my readers, I ha...