English as a global language : past, present and future

Résumé du document

Globalization has ushered in an era of global culture and economy. With this increased internationalization, everyone needs a medium of communication. Intercultural transactions can only take place if a common language is used. The English language has become popular as a common language. As Brian Bloch and Donna Starks explained (1999) Malay English, Arabic English, American English, Australian English or even South African English are many distinctive forms of English but they all have British English as a basic root.
In this document, we will study the reasons behind the rise of English as a global language, the effects of the globalization, and the prospects that the future holds for English and other languages.

Specialists agree that the importance of English is directly linked to an historical perspective. Braj B Kachru (1989) easily explains the different stages of the spread of English. Firstly, it was the language used for trades, explorations and conquests since the 16th century. Then, the establishment of strategic posts all around the world (Africa, The Orient, North America and Australia) extended its use. A Few hundred centuries later, as the global population increased, non native speakers had to learn English to find employment or a place within the dominant countries. After the Second World War, former British colonies became independent and began to teach English in their new educational structures.
Thus, there has been a huge development of English with respect to the number of activities that depended on its use. The industrial and telecommunication revolutions amplified the expansion of English. This explains why history cannot be the only explanation of the progress of English. David Crystal (1997) says that a language can become an international one for many reasons, such as the influence of political and the military powers, but only the economical one can allow a country to maintain and expand it.

Extraits

[...] English as a global language : past, present and future Nowadays, the cultural and economic world is becoming global. With this increased internationalisation, everyone needs a medium of communication. The intercultural transactions can only be done if a common language is used. The English language has now spread its influence. As Brian Bloch and Donna Starks explained (1999)[1] Malay English, Arabic English, American English, Australian English or even South African English are many distinctive forms of English but they all have British English as a basic root. [...]

[...] Cambridge University Press: 1997 K. Dhir, A. Gòkè-Paríolá. The case for language policies in multinational corporations. Corporate Communications: An International Journal: Dec 2002 Fairclough. Language and power. Pearson Education, London: 2001 Bloch. Straks. The many faces of English: intra-language variation and its implications for international business. Journal: Corporate Communications: An International Journal. June 1999 Crystal. English as a global language. [...]

[...] The main fear about this globalisation is the disappearance of minority languages; it would be source of linguistic deaths as it was the case for ethnics groups who were assimilated within a more dominant society such as the Appaches or some other Indian tribes. In the future, every society can foresee the real need to become more global. Even if this is not possible to affirm or to predict the future, English has already grown to be independent of any kind of social, cultural or economical control. As Braj B. Kachru said other language matches to have a global spread”. Every company is looking to improve its efficiency of communication and transactions through a global language which is usually English. [...]

[...] That's why to remain a global language, the English also has to embody values and norms. But, the global world will have to cope with different organisations which promote an alternative to globalisation. Nowadays, we are witnesses of strong reactions all over the world to the internationalisation and to the English as a global language. Some economic arguments (local or national markets, economic borders, quotas ) can persuade a country to reduce its investment in the English language. Norman Fairclough (2001) explains how the Green Party in England proposed a challenge to globalisation in 1999 promoting local economies and making countries less dependent on the global economy. [...]

[...] Language and power. Pearson Education, London: 2001 Kachru, B.B. The other tongue. University of Illinois Press: 1989 (2nd Ed.) Abstracts Title: The case for language policies in multinational corporations Author(s): Krishna S. Dhir, Abíódún Gòkè-Paríolá Journal: Corporate Communications: An International Journal ISSN: 1356-3289 Year: Dec 2002 Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Page: 241 - 251 DOI: 10.1108 /13563280210449822 Publisher: MCB UP Ltd Abstract: Businesses that operate globally bring together people from different cultures and traditions; educated through different learning processes; and who operate in different political systems, in regions with different levels of industrial development. [...]