Translation
It happens that there are many kinds of languages in the world, and none are without meaning.
Paraphrase
We know that there are many different languages spoken in this world, and we know that all of them have meaning; no people group uses their tongues to speak gibberish, because they want to be understood. Both of the proper forms of tongues have meaning, but what you do has no meaning. You are not using public tongues as on Pentecost because that serves to convince the unsaved, and you are not using private tongues because you are not keeping it private.
NO LANGUAGE IS WITHOUT MEANING
The Corinthians were engaged in something which went against the purpose of Spiritual gifts, violated the nature of languages and human communication in general, and could not be justified in any way. Paul had to be talking about false tongues here because the two proper forms of tongues have meaning, although private tongues (groaning and weeping in prayer) are understood fully by God and partially by the one praying. Some people today will probably say, “when I pray in tongues it is the same way – God knows what my heart is trying to say even if I don’t.”
The first difference I notice is that private tongues as I am describing them includes a small degree of understanding by the one praying; there is a sense of burden or a burning question about some topic, person, or issue. The person praying sees an incomplete and blurry picture; the things that are lacking are the details, and the course of action that should be taken. That is very different than saying “God knows what my heart is trying to say even if I don’t.” I perceive that most people who use modern tongues sense strong emotion, but no course of action is ever reached.
But the biggest problem with modern “prayer languages” is that they are often used in public settings, which is contrary to the purpose of private tongues. In the case of the Corinthians, Paul sensed that what they were doing had no meaning for anyone, even God. I cannot read the hearts of people who speak in tongues publicly today, but I will say that the nonsensical babbling that goes on in our era seems remarkably similar to what was going on in Corinth as Paul describes here in verses 7- 10 of I Corinthians 14. Paul seems to be accusing them of doing something only for the purpose of looking more spiritual in the eyes of others. As I have mentioned elsewhere, those who knew what the real thing was and still chose to create a counterfeit will be judged more harshly than those today who have been taught that something is the real deal when it is not.
Corinth was worse than Babel; at least the people at Babel were saying things that made sense!