English as a global language

Eugenio Pavon
PRE-SESSIONAL COURSE

STUDENT ID NUMBER: 11326752 11/09/2011

English as a global language The reader of this essay, will possibly be one roughly one-third of the worlds population who can use the English language in an uncomplicated scenario, it is a second language or additional language to the user. There is no dough that English is the main language of the current business world, apart from that is well-know that is the language of international trade and the language of international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU). Furthermore, an important fact is that English is the widest language on the internet, because nearly eighty percent of the information given on the internet is in English. Consequently, in this century, English is the language more popular of the world and the second more spoken after Chinese mandarin in terms of population. The case study which might concern is if not native speakers had realised that there are more than 6000 languages living listed today and according to Noble (2007) stated of the estimated 7000 languages spoken in the world today, linguists say, half are in danger of extinction and likely to disappear in this century. In fact, one falls out of use about every two weeks this assertion means that in 50 years time just approximately 1200 languages will exist. It can be said that the expansion of English as a global language could have a connection to that situation. This essay will first discuss a number of problems that arise as a result of this and present possible solutions. Firstly, English has brought an unstoppable linguistic imperialism that is called the English language. Monolingualism might be one of the consequences. Native a non native speakers could cultivate disconformities attitudes towards other languages, especially those are spoken in small regions making these languages not as necessaries as English to learn. Secondly, the last decades arose many global problems such as a climate change and foreign aids, which must be solved with the participation of more significant governments and international organization. As a result, English as a global language has been the common

language for international affairs. However, the invasion and intervention in many cases through the military imperialism of the powerful English countries within the last centuries and during the recent years have dishonoured in some way the linguistic human rights (Fishman, 1995) and many languages are dying as a consequence of that. Accordingly, (Fishman, 2000) many regional languages could suffer the loss of information of one generation to another, in terms of popular sayings, costumes applied to them through the native English. According to Crystal (1997) regardless of the significant impact of the spread of the English language in order to the existence of other languages could be affected and as well, it could bring the rejections of the non English native speakers to this language. Despite these problems, three solutions could be considered. Firstly, English governments and international organization could encourage the learning of other languages through: free foreign languages classes at colleges, universities and councils, promoting festivals and events with the aim of giving the language to know. Another approach to the problem could be the increase of the governmental regulations of each country as individual, protecting the native language as a part of the national culture heritage and the identity of the country or the region, in the meantime allowing the coexistence of other international merchant language as English as a second or third language. In conclusion, despite of the spread of linguistic imperialism of English as a global language, which might impossible to ignore it; there are some solutions which can be taken to encourage the learning of other languages for the benefits of minor cultures. Councils, governments, international organizations must take steps, to be aware of the consequences of a monolingual world. English as a global solves problem language and language of international affairs is something that in some way, unconsciously many countries around the world have approved it by consensus, ironically enough without any participation on the

election on which language that must be chosen as a global. However, a global language must not be misunderstand, as a Ryan, P. (2011, video online) states when one language die, we do not know what we lose with that language

Bibliography: Crystal, D, (1197) English as a global language, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Graddol, D. (1997) The future of English, London: British Council. Noble, W. J: 2007. Languages die, but not the last words. [Online] The New York Times. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/science/19language.html [Accessed 1 September] Fishman, Josua A. 2000. English: the killer language? Or a passing phase? [Online] World Earth Catalog. Available at< http://www.wholeearth.com/issue/2100/article/139/english.the.killer.language.or.a.passing.ph ase> [Accessed 2 September] Fishman, Josua A. 1995. Linguistic Human Rights. [Online] Gryter Reference Global. Available at < http://www.referenceglobal.com/doi/abs/10.1515/9783110866391.49?prevSearch=%255Bfulltext%253A%2Bfish man%255D&searchHistoryKey> [Accessed 2 September] Ryan, Patricia. 2011. Dont insist on English. [video online] TED. Available at: < http://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_ryan_ideas_in_all_languages_not_just_english.html> [Accessed 1 September]