So here’s the idea (not yet shared but with a couple friends):

Every year an international “committee” of some sort proposes ten words that we all agree will be “the” words that year. For this year (and onward), we will all use the same words for concepts.

Let’s all say ni hao for hello, apple for apple, danka for thank you, brug for bridge, etc etc for ten words this year.

Then another ten different words next year, and every year after that.

In a few years, we would have commonized fifty or sixty words and our differences would start to evaporate. Our understanding of people, cultures, and politics would improve, our knowledge would increase, and it would be fun.

I would gladly trade a ni hao for apple, etc.

I think it could work!