[dfwgator]

It’s going to take at least two generations before the Koreas can reunite. It may end up being like Canada/US or Germany/Austria, countries that speak the same language, but because of historical reasons, are apart.

[mamelukesabre]

don’t be such a pessimist! We’ll conquer canada yet!

[Cronos]

well, speaking the same language does not ensure unity or even partnership. Why should it? Otherwise the US would be a country with the UK and much of the commonwealth.

Culture plays a large role -- yes, language can't be divorced from culture completely, but English culture and even the language the Brits use is slightly different from Americanisms or Aussies.

Germany speaks Standard German (officially) which is quite different from the Austrian dialect -- which is closer to the dialects spoken in Bavaria (Bayern), Swabia and in Switzerland's cantons. Northern Germans in fact tell me they can't understand the accents, intonations or even words used in southern Germany.

Also, Austrian culture is quite different from northern German -- but then even Bavarian culture is different from northern German culture.