Critically discuss whether English should be the world language

Chan Kin Wai, Tommy IPE8

18024455

Tutor: Guy Bainbridge

Date: 30/08/2018

Word count:

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 Critically discuss whether English should be the world language.

In 21st century, English become the most popular language in the Earth. The

Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘English’ as ‘The language of England, widely used

in many varieties throughout the world’. However, Swann and Seargeant (2012)

stated that Dr.Johnson defined English, in his dictionary, is just a language of English

in 1750s. It reflects that English widely expanded in this two hundred and fifty years

and gets a international status and approval in the world. English is widely used in the

Internet, publishing, education, business, science, technology, music, and so on. It is

no doubt that English plays an important role in most of the categories. Although

English evolved into the major language, it is a controversial topic,that whether

English should be the main language, in the world. This essay will discuss six

different view points. The main point in support of using English as the world

language could be ‘Ease learn and communicate’, ‘Historical factors’, and

‘International travel’. The argument against could be ‘Elimination of language

learning’, ‘Disappear of minor language’, ‘Unfair treatment of non-native speaker’.

The discussion is as below:

Firstly, English is easy to learn and communicate with others. English is a

well-structured language which have systematized pronunciation, systematized

grammar and no grammatical gender. In addition, there are more learning resources

in the internet, media, books and so on. For the systematized pronunciation, English

words are the combination of twenty-six letters. Each of them have the individual

sound. When the letters combined as a word, phonics can help you to pronoun the

word even if you do not know the meaning of the word. Ocal (2015) concluded that

people who know spelling pronunciation spelled more correct words than the others

by his research. It reflects that pronunciation could boost the efficient of learning

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English because you can pronounce the word and help you remember. Moreover, the

grammar in English is systematized and works without gender. Crystal (2003) stated

that English, which has less grammar than the other language, has limited endings on

words and no different between masculine-feminine-neuter. English could have less

grammar in speaking because people can understand you by the correct use of

words without correct grammar. Even though, you better use the correct from of

grammar and follow the rules in writing. But it is already beneficial for you to learn

English. Furthermore, learning resources of English are abundant in the internet,

media, publishing. You can gain knowledge in your interested topic. Thought that, you

can enhance your vocabularies in a easier way. To sum up, your English could be

easy to improve because of its structure and a various of method to gain. By the

efficiency of learning a language, the relatively easy language should be chose as

world language. English could be one of them.

Secondly, the historical factors explain the process of English extended as one of

the most popular language in the world. The colonialism by British before nineteenth

century and the leading role of United States in the world business in twentieth

century. They are the factor which illustrate the popularity of the English language

nowadays. Seventy percent of English native speakers in the world stay in USA.

According to BBC, the British began to build up international colonies from sixty

century till late twenty century. Copping (2012) stated that between this long period of

time, British invaded ninety percent of counties in the world which only 22 counties

never invaded by the British out of ~200 countries in the world. During the colonialism,

British can spread their language and culture during that moment. The role or

relationship between English and invalided country can be found. In 1950s, the huge

amount of people are dominating the language use in business world because USA is

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the guidance of this zone. Nowadays, most or all of international

company/organization’s job requirement listed “good communication in English.

Through this tend gives a controlling interest to develop and expand the language -

English. Crystal (2003) demonstrated that the table of “Speakers of English in

territories where the language has had special relevance” shows the total amount of

people who are using English in their daily life is around 2.24 billion, which is more

than one-third of the world’s population. And he shows the table of “Annual growth

rate in population in selected counties,1996-2001” to proof the tend of English using

growth. However the future may affect by the others factor, such as the growth of

technology and cultural, it reflects that English is being promoted to the world. Also,

English become the major language in the world. It could be worth as a world

language.

Thirdly, the international movement of people can boost the expand of a language.

And English work as a communication channel. In 21st century, oversea vacation,

moving, or immigrant are much easier than before. Graddol (2006) stated that from

1960 to 2000, the total amount of oversea migrants had doubled to 175 million. By the

improvement of transportation and well-developed system, the emigrant could be

higher than 2000. The people on international movement could be migrant workers,

immigrants, travelers, and international students. The more developed and

prosperous countries attract more skilled workers and entrepreneur to their country

and enhance competitiveness in particular industry. Meanwhile, English is helping

them to adapt to foreign countries. Graddol (2006) pointed out that the European

migrant worker highly raised the need of English Second Language classes in 2005

because the British do not impose on restraint on migrant workers. But it could be a

good example of expand linguistic in local. It is a win-win situation to enlarge the

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language and increase the work force. In addition, tourism need a common language

to enhance the communication and interaction between visitor and local people.

English may get a chance to grow to fill in this role because the majority of population

learning and using English as second language refer to Crystal (2003) which showed

in third paragraph. Graddol (2006) expressed that in 2004, seventy-four percent out

of 763 million international tourist is non-English speaker to non-English country. This

illustrate the demand of face-to-face international communication. That is why English

have potential to spread.

On the contrary, while world language means a language that is known or spoken

in many countries, more and more people use English in communication. There could

have risk in ‘Elimination of language learning’, ‘Disappear of minor language’, ‘Unfair

treatment of non-native speaker’.

Then, English as world language could eliminate the motivation to learn other

language, both English and non-English speakers. For non-English speaker must

going to learn English under education system. Their decision of learning foreign is

being fixed. If they want to learn other foreign language, they should more afford than

usual. The motivation of learning other language would be reduce. In contrast, the

attitudes of complacency and arrogance may occur in native English speakers or who

use English as first language. To become a world language, the selected language

must have a important or significant role in the world, either positive or negative.

Meanwhile it must be a recognition and symbol of a nationality. A world language

could foster an elite linguistic class who speak only one language, they could proud of

themselves and contempt the other languages. More complacence and arrogance in

native English speaker, monolingual speaker attitudes towards the other languages.

In fact, the linguistic complacency is already occurring nowadays. Crystal (2003)

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described that British or American visitors, who have oversea travelling, are assuming

everyone can speak in English and thinking that what if the people can not speak in

English is their fault. It is showing that the the some of native speaker is stereotyping

the whole world should know English. By the increasing important of English in the

world, the motivation of native speaker learning other languages is highly reduced.

The English could be the world language, but not the only language in the world. We

should face the problem. We have to be less condescending to any language in the

world, and pay more afford in learning each other. In addition, the countries, which

English-based, should improve their education system to let nation English speaker

know the benefit of learning foreign language. Thus reduce the linguistic

complacency and explore more.

Moreover, extension of one language hasten disappear of minor languages. A

world language may cause discrimination of other languages. In the progress of

language domination and loss must be existed in the history. However none of us

knows how many languages have been killed since we have the knowledge of

linguistic. They could be more than a thousand. When people begin stay together,

small group language is assimilated to the major society, and adopt to new lingual. It

is similar to the situation today. Crystal (2003) believes that it is urgent to safe the

endangered language because of the unprecedented rate at which some languages

are being lost, at least fifty percent of 6000 or more languages are going to disappear

in 22nd century. The situation of minor languages is at a risk. A long-sighted plan is

highly recommended for facing up the problem. Apart from a language work as a tool

for communication, it is also representing the culture of corresponding region. These

cultural includes writing, books, songs, etc give us a unique view of their life. It can

not be recaptured once they lost. However, Crystal (2003) suggested that victim of

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being hastened disappear by English is only the place where English becomes the

first language, such as in North America and Australia. It is true that English as world

language only effect the area where use English as first language because the other

country can make a choice of whether learn English or not. So that North America,

Australia, and country which use English as first language should put an eye on how

to do conservation of minor languages.

Furthermore, the different education level of English in the world may cause

unfair treatment of non-native speakers. When English is being promoted and

become the most population second language in the world, the standard of English

required is being raised. Most of the international company or large enterprise require

a relatively high English level requirement. However there are different education

system in different countries, they world not design the education programme to be

consistency. A gap of English level could be occurred among different counties.

Nunan (2003) concluded in his research that Asian governmental institutions are

putting not enough resources and planning in teaching and teacher quality. The

resources are not achieving the teaching goal that they desired. People who learn

English as second language are being depreciated by the native speaker or

international company. For example, in Hong Kong international companies, top

position(top managers, operates, CEO,etc) are preferring foreigners to occupy. Local

people could work hard and be promoted, but foreigners are easier than local.

Perhaps first language as English is benefiting us to be fair. Discrepancy between

first language and second language English speaker could be found.

To conclude, English could be the world language under a well-planning to

minimize the potential risk of English as world language. The focus of drawback could

be ‘Elimination of language learning’, ‘Disappear of minor language’, ‘Unfair treatment

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of non-native speaker’. However English is well-developed and affecting the whole

language these day.

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The references:

BBC Bitesize. (n.d.). BBC Bitesize - KS3 History - The British Empire through

time - Revision 3. [online] Available at:

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zf7fr82/revision/3 [Accessed 29 Aug.

2018].

Copping, J. (2012). British have invaded nine out of ten countries - so look out

Luxembourg. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9653497/British-have-invaded-nine-ou

t-of-ten-countries-so-look-out-Luxembourg.html [Accessed 27 Aug. 2018].

Crystal, D. (2003). English as a global language. 2nd ed. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

Graddol, D. (2006). English next. [London]: British Council.

Northrup, D. (2013). How English Became the Global Language. Basingstoke:

Palgrave Macmillan.

Nunan, D. (2003). The Impact of English as a Global Language on Educational

Policies and Practices in the Asia-Pacific Region. TESOL Quarterly.

[online] Available at:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2307/3588214 [Accessed 16

Aug. 2018].

Ocal, T. (2015). Spelling pronunciations help college students remember how

to spell difficult words. Reading and Writing. [online] Available at:

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.

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 google.co.uk/&httpsredir=1&article=2090&context=gc_etds [Accessed 21

Aug. 2018].

Oxford Dictionaries | English. (2018). English | Definition of English in English

by Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at:

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english [Accessed 16 Aug.

2018].

Swann, J., & Seargeant, P. (2012). English in the world: History, diversity,

change. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

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