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How global English influences the world
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Essay of english as a global language
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In history, it is displayed that language and globalization can come hand in hand in the means of spreading throughout the world. The English language is mainly spoken in the U.S and Britain as a first-language. However, it is being increasingly spoken around the world everyday as a way of communication. As a result of the British colonialism, the U.S and British pop culture and media, as well as the economic aspect of the world, English has become the global language of communication today. By having so much value and importance, the English language is considered significant in terms of forming ways of globalization and communication. Thus, the result of the three factors influencing the spread of English around the world created a valuable position for the English language to becoming a Lingua Franca.
British Colonialism has influenced the spread of English in the world resulting the formation of a global language where people from different cultures are able to interact in a language that isn’t originally spoken in their respected countries’. In the memoir “By any other name”, Santha Rama Rau shows how the British forces colonized India in the mid-nineteenth century, and how the British’s presence greatly influenced the Indians way of behavior. In terms of linguistic influence, the British enforced the teaching of English as a first language as part of the schools’ curriculum (By Any Other Name). By committing this act, the Indian students were able to learn English and become fluent in speaking it, allowing them to apply what they have learned to communicate with the British and others. In addition, the mother tongue was allowed to be taught but wasn’t positioned as a major language to learn. This demonstrates how the deman...
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...ua Franca internationally. Overall, the business world relies on English as a medium to communicate with different parts of the world, as they would be able to understand the language.
In conclusion, the English language is significantly recognized as a global language that has been spread by British colonialism, American and British popular culture as well as the World economy. Those three factors conjoin with globalization through the English language. Because of all the effects English has on globalizing the world, it is identified as a Lingua Franca. Hopefully English would gain more speakers through the years in order to strengthen ties between the world.
Works Cited
• Mydans, Seth. "Across Cultures, English Is the Word." N.p., 9 Apr. 2007. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. .
One of the most important factors in the British loss of control over India was the establishment of English as a unifying language. Prior to British colonisation, India was fragmented and multi-lingual, with 15 major languages and around 720 dialects. English served as a common ground for Indians, and allowed separate cultural and ethnic groups to identify with each other, something which had rarely if ever occurred before on a grand scale. Although it was mainly educated Indians of a privileged caste who spoke English, these were the most influential people in terms of acting as facilitators for nationalist ideas to be communicated throughout the populace. The publication of magazines and journals in English was also a great influence on the rise of Indian nationalism. Although most Indians received nationalist ideas orally, these journals allowed Indians who were literate in English to come into contact with the ideas of social and political reformers.
Globalization and the space-time compressing technologies that facilitate it are intensifying the spread of English around the world. According to Eriksen, 56% of all webpages are in English, and over 90% of all publications are now in English, with many universities requiring publications to be in English to count as an international publication (Eriksen 88). The trend towards global loss of language diversity, and the rise of English as the global standard, has many implications regarding the homogenizing opposed to fragmenting effects of
English is the Global Language of today. There is great controversy circumventing this view. Although there are positive outcomes, the negatives outbalance them to some extent as it means that many languages will die out as a result. As a global lingua franca, English has the puissance to enhance communication between individuals, being particularly favourable and propitious in the area of economics and trade. Despite this, it has persistently been the substratum for the death of numerous other languages, consequently posing a threat to identity, and the value of language and culture.
To a partial extent I believe that the widespread recognition of the importance of learning English is a result of linguistic imperialism. Kachru’s circle shows English as an expanding international language. It is natural from those expanding countries to naturally want to learn English from the inner circles where the language has originated or is mostly spoken from. It creates a linguistic imperialism. However the importance and recognition of learning English is for intercultural communication between countries for wider communication between multilingual societies like Australia.
Human beings are given due credit for their ingenious creation and development of various languages. Languages have been used for communication between people and they are also potent tools of direct control over the dominated people. English as the colonizer’s language does not merely facilitate communication between its speakers. As an instrument of power, English language has a g...
A language with rather humble roots, one that has been twisted and bent, one that has taken and borrowed from other languages, and one that has been the subject of much debate as to the correctness of certain usages, today English is the language that the world uses to communicate. The world uses English for a variety of reasons from commerce and trade, to political decisions, to technology and science, and beyond. The entire world uses English to get business done. Thus it truly has become the lingua franca for the world.
However, the role of Colonialism in the expansion of English is immensely noteworthy. In fact, writers like Gauri Viswanathan, Ania Loomba and others are of the opinion that the discipline of English literary studies was an invention of Colonial India. Viswanathan states that “English literature appeared as a subject in the curriculum of the colonies long before it was institutionalized in the home country” (Masks 3). She further points out that while England was still reigned by the study of classical literature, English “as the study of culture and not simply the study of language” (3) has already made its entry into British Indian curriculum. English was primarily introduced in the colony to serve the needs of the British administration; to educate a class of Indians who could function as “interpreters between the British administrators and the millions of Indians they governed”. To put in Lord Macaulay’s words, “a class of persons Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, opinions, in morals, and in intellect” (quoted in Phillipson 2007:110). According to Viswanathan, the British need for a disciplinary branch of knowledge emanated from its compulsion to perform the task of administering their colonial subjects. Similarly, Ania Loomba states that “The rise of literary studies as a ‘discipline’ of study in British universities was in fact linked to the perceived needs of colonial administrators” (Colonialism 75). However, this “disguised form of authority” (Masks 23) has complemented as a mask that concealed the actual terrors of colonialism. These discourses of administration are actually powerful devices of subjugating the native culture. By imposing their language upon the natives the colonizers conquered the cultural space of the natives. As Ngugi Wa Thiong’O says, “Language carries culture and culture carries,
“there are more people speaking English in India probably in the rest of the mother tongue English speaking world combined……………the consensus was perhaps third of the population speak some sort of English. The figure must be three hundred to four hundred million which is more than the combined populations of Britain, Ireland, Australia, U.S., Canada, and South Africa.”1
So this language became important and reach high status in the modern global society because many people wanted to know about this language and where it take or lead them to , so English was known as the language of opportunity due to the impact of globalization and economic development in some countries like India and sri lanka and the sociologist Bourdie suggest that the linguistic resources that are distributed among members of society and the learning of this language can improve the people life which they can get better work and to get better
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
Clark, Dorie. "English - The Language of Global Business?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 26 Oct. 2012. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
The continuation and influence of English as global language soon makes its way to Asia. In most of the Asian countries, English is seen as necessity of a second language. It breaks the barriers between the world countries and allow relationships to be built for better businesses, education and social class for its people. The influence of English in Asia creates global modernization. English has become the language of the sky and sea.
Over the years English inarguably has reached a status of a global language and commonly is characterized as a lingua franca. It has become the language that is spoken by millions of people all over the world; as the mother tongue, as the language used for international communication and as the language learned in the millions of schools.
It is stated that the study of the English language was imposed upon Indians by Lord Macaulay with the sole purpose of benefiting the British administration in India. It has given India an edge over every county where English is considered a foreign language. Right now, in India, English plays a major role in all domains, such as, education, administration, politics, industry, etc. and is therefore helps in attaining social mobility, higher education and a better job opportunity. It is become an essential skill used in everyday life, here in India.
Sharma, B., 2008. “World Englishes, English as a Lingua Franca, and English Pedagogy”, Journal of NELTA 13 (2), pp. 121-130. Available from