English has been described as a lingua franca, which means that is is used as a common medium of communication within people who use different mother tongues. Nowadays, it is undoubtedly the language of business, tourism, politics, education, pop culture and everyday communication to many people – whether it is their first or second language. Many people argue that the rise of English as a Lingua Franca (henceforth EFL) poses a threat to multilingualism. Nevertheless, the widespread use of this language as a main communication device has more advantages than disadvantages and it does not really pose any threat to existence of different languages.
English is definitely a preferred language for communication around the world. According to Phillipson, statistics “reveal a dramatic decline in the use of German and French, and a progressive and accelerating increase in the use of English as the default in-house language”. He argues whether English can be considered as a lingua franca and labels relating the term to this language as “invidious” because of the fact that some users of that language are native speakers, and “misleading” if the language is separated from the culture.(2008, Journal of Irish and Scottish Studies) However, it is claimed that the “number of non-native [English] speakers is substantially larger than its native speakers. (…) English is thus no longer 'owned' by its native speakers” (2003, Journal of Sociolinguistics). Moreover, a research carried out at Hamburg University showed that “ELF-users native culture-conditioned ways of interacting are 'alive' in the medium of English language” ((2003, Journal of Sociolinguistics)). That shows that it can be separated from the Anglophone-related behaviour patterns and co...
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.... One of them relies on apparent misunderstandings lying beneath the recognition of a native speaker and an ELF speaker. Another one is based on the fear that the development of English has the major impact on other languages as they tend to borrow words instead of forming ones which would be naturally affiliated with their lexical systems. However, we have to remember that EFL defined as a variation which carries no culture references and emotive involvement for its users has far more advantages: it enables them to learn new languages effectively and provides the flexibility of communication. Moreover, it creates the common ground in international relations, whether it is business, politics, law or education. Therefore, relying on the arguments mentioned above, the statement that EFL does not pose any major threats to other languages seems to be very convincing.
“Our Native Tongue” is a short article written by Nelson W. Aldrich. Jr, in February 2000. To begin the article Aldrich describes how privileged and grateful he is to know the English language. Aldrich says “I’d been born with a silver tongue in my mouth.” From this statement, readers can assume how amazing the English language is. Silver is an item most people value, Aldrich values English the way some would value silver. Aldrich also says because he knows the English language he has access to many opportunities, that others would have to pay for because they do not know the English language. The article also discusses the first global lingua franca. Lingua franca is “the language of science, business, political, and finical power, and English”. Lingua franca is also a diammoniate language that is accepted between speakers whose languages are different.
English has always been a unofficial preferred language in the United States. Historically it has never been a, “monolinguistic country” (Driscoll 1). Over the years United States has experienced a lot of cultural diversity even though it, "has not appreciated l...
In today’s society, especially in the United States, most people are monolingual English speakers. As a result, these monolingual speakers are at a significant disadvantage compared to those who speak more than one language fluently. This disadvantage is crucial to realize since it is important to learn how individuals and the nation can be enhanced. Multilingual speakers have an advantage in global affairs that involve countries that speak different languages. Speaking multiple languages makes it easier to communicate with people when involved in foreign affairs. Those who speak multiple languages are also more aware of other cultures in society. Monolingual speakers are not as exposed to other cultures and have difficulty understanding or even recognizing them. Furthermore, being multilingual increases your
As an inevitable consequence of technology and globalization, society is demanding on adult population to learn English. It is widely known that English is the dominant language in business, tourism and science. That is why, as a lingua franca, knowing the language has become fundamental to enter the job market and to succeed in business and education. It is also evident that, for an effective communication among people from different countries, the English language is the best option. But this is just one aspect related to the many reasons that adults have to learn English in this society.
It is evident then that a relationship exists between language and culture. There is a need for EFL
...ferent language have increased cognitive ability and exceed normal classroom expectations. This will also come in to play later on in their lives, and it will benefit the global economy, as everyone will better understand each other. It provides the learners with a competitive edge in the work force (Naserdeen 2001).
In class we spent time discussing the effects of use of English language on a global front. That is when I realized, that if English becomes the world speak; it may lead to appalling consequences. Hence I chose to write this written task, which mainly focuses on the repercussion of English as a global language.
According to Teodorescu (2010), English for Specific Purposes (ESP) came into existence soon after the Second World War as there was a huge expansion of science, technology, and business all over the world and it became essential to have an international language for specialists. Later on, ESP became so popular that it is an important branch of English Language Teaching (ELT). Therefore, ESP which has the subcomponent like English for Science and Technology (EST) and it is further minimized to English for Engineering. Adriana Teodorescu (2010).
as a lingua franca’ (ELF) has emerged as a way of referring to communication in English
Actually, the majority of people in the world “speak 1.69 languages- not high enough to conclude that the average person is bilingual” (source C). Having the ability to communicate in one language can help others communicate in everyday life from walking through town and shopping to making deals in business. Having a society that is monolingual can improve economies and relations throughout the world. Also, there was a survey in 2007 to determine the number of 5 year olds and older who spoke a language other than English at home. Out of the 280,950,438 people, 225,505,953 of them spoke only English at home (source E). This means that again 20% of people spoke a language other than English at home. English is a popular language, not just in English speaking countries, but also in countries that it is not the primary language. As the world changes, English becomes more and more of a necessity for society to communicate. As time progresses, English may be the only language needed to communicate more for people around the world. Through the globalization of the English language, its effects would greatly improve society by shortening time lost in language barriers and improve understandings of
It has been adopted by different sectors making it one of the most used languages in the globe. This has been attributed to its effective nature, easy learning and rich history. However, conservative groups exist who argues that there should be global language since it may cause the emergence of superior cultures. Nevertheless, it is evident that different cultures ranging from the early polish immigrants, the African American community, the advertising and media will greatly benefit from the globalization of the English language. This will prove in the end that English is indeed a global
Since the establishment of the British Empire, the spread of English language has been experienced in many parts of the globe. The success can be attributed significantly to the colonization activities that the empire had embarked on. They would train the indigenous community English language as they suppressed the local dialect. This massive spread is termed as lingual imperialism (Osterhammel 2005, pp. 14). The English language has become the first and second language of many nations across the world, and this makes it an international language. The native’s proportion to the non-native who speaks English cannot be compared with nations in the isle of Britain and far are speaking the language .considering that more than 70%
...nology is moving ahead at the speed of light. With all this advancement comes the inevitable need for a language that unifies the world. The need for a common language to conduct our business and economic affairs, and our need to communicate internationally on political and world interventions has made English the leader in world languages. It is not the language spoken first by most, but it the language that the world uses when it comes together to communicate.
English spreads widely in each countries, no matter the area of region or information transfer, English becomes an important position in global language. As the specification of a global language, it essentially refers to a language that learned and spoken internationally, so English can be the most out-standing. According to the number of English-speaking calculations, English is the official language used by most countries, English is the most widely used second language in the world, and the percentage of web pages with English content is estimated to be over 50% (Crystal, 2003). Meanwhile, the history and usefulness cause English to be a global language, and they mainly influence to spread English faster in China and to bring convenience
In order to visualize the “global” as an adjective in the collocation “global language”, a study has shown the numbers of people speaking the language. According to them, there are about 6000 languages in the world and not surprisingly English is at the top of the list of most dominant. In the world there are 375 million first-language speakers, approximately the same number of second-language speakers and about 750 million foreign-language speakers (David Graddol, The Future of English? A Guide to Forecasting the Popularity of the English Language in the 21st Century. British Council, 1997). According to magazine Economist, more than one billion people speak some form of English. These numbers could make people think that English is really conquering the world which can be both positive and negative.