English as a Global Language

Examining English as a Global Language

With the world’s population ever increasing, more and more attention has been shifted upon common languages to be a common binder for the different nationalities. The only truly universal language at the moment is mathematics. The languages of the world are plentiful and diverse, each with its own distinct culture, history, and idiosyncrasies. How is one to determine what could be used at a global level? The language most often spoke of when considering a global language is English. The English language has had quite a ride throughout the past few hundred years in its rise to prominence. According to estimates as little as 425 years ago, approximately four million people were speakers of English. Two hundred years later, this number rose to twelve million. Fifty years later, fifty million speakers... The world is now at the point where the number of English speakers is above five hundred million and if one adds in those learning to speak English the number rapidly approaches approximately two billion. Considering the world’s population hovers somewhere above the 6.5 billion mark, this number represents a huge portion. Many would argue that for the world to progress in certain areas, a unifying language or global language must be selected and embarked upon. What is the benefit of such a choice one might ask? The concept of a global language would provide an overall sense of efficiency in many fields of life. In certain areas, especially science, it is important for all matters to be on a level plane, so to speak, in order to boost efficiency. This is already understood by the scientific world as eighty percent of the its scientific journals are written in English. One could also argue very effectively that a global language would improve the efficiency and comfort of everyday life, as language barriers exist and bar progress on multiple levels on a daily basis all over the world. The barriers exist in many shapes and forms, from international business, to everyday life on the street. 

Of course some humans are resistant to change, and while it has been stated that a great deal of the world’s population speaks English, there is a far greater number of citizens who do not. The change to English would not be so easy to propose nor readily accepted in certain areas of the world for many reasons: religion, stubborn-ness, lack of tools, etc. Others might be prone to argue that the English language is overall difficult to master compared to others. The English language at last estimate contains close to one million different words, this is a far cry from a relatively more simple language in terms of words such as French, which contains a mere one hundred thousand. This is not even taking into account the dialects of English that exist around the world, as American English is different from British English. Other nations such as Scotland, Australia, Ireland, and Canada have their own dialects as well. It may very well be this vastness that works in English’s favor however, as more and more cultures and languages come together in the melting pot that is the United States, more and more international slangs and idioms find their way into use of common American culture. One study reports that of the twenty thousand or so words that entered the English language in the past year, twenty percent of them were of an English/Chinese hybrid known as Chinglish.

It is important to mention Chinese in the same breath when speaking of a global language, as Mandarin speakers in the world easily top over one billion, a huge number when considering a common language, more so than English. While Mandarin may have the greater numbers, it is English that has deeper roots in modern day culture and business. Other languages such as Arabic and Hindi rival the pure numbers of English as well, but Hindi is too distinctive to the Indian subcontinent, and Arabic dialects vary moreso than Chinese in their diversity. This topic may become moot in the future with the further development of computers as tools. In fact certain scientists say it is only a matter of time before the common language is computers with the advancements made in translation technology. That approach, if perfected, would certainly ease the learning barrier when it comes to languages. Some people are lucky enough to speak several languages, but unfortunately many people in the world only know one, and the time and dedication necessary to learn others is not available or not desired. If one were able to perfect a universal translator, or babel fish, society would be able to interact on a completely different level. Until then, however, the most likely and widely accepted candidate for a global language has to be English.

English as a Global Language

If one believes in the cyclical nature of history espoused by the ancient Greeks, then one would probably view the hegemony of English across the globe (at least, as the language of trade) to be at or near its high-water mark. Latin was subsumed by the languages of its conquerors, lingered as the voice of philosophy and religion, and slowly ossified in far-flung monasteries. French prevailed at the courts of many of the monarchies of Europe until those monarchies gave way to more democratic governments. English, too, will soon give way, many contend, to Chinese, within a decade or two. The extraordinary potential of the Chinese economy, a workforce of hundreds of millions, the availability of vast amounts of natural resources, and a highly un-restrictive regulatory system, will see to that. Another reason for the inevitable demise of English is the backlash against the ‘Americanization’ of global culture. Many societies around the world are lamenting the erosion of traditional languages and customs by mass-market consumerism, and the homogenization of the marketplace brought on by ever-expanding corporations. American and English foreign policies have not provided good press for Western culture, and communities around the world are taking steps to restrict the encroachment of McDonalds and Britney Spears. In spite of all this, however, Western culture, rooted in the English language, remains wildly popular. Rap has invaded the low- income suburbs of Paris; young women in Tehran sport blue jeans; the Maharashtra burger is available at any of the McDonalds in Calcutta; Prada accessories are available at the new up-scale boutiques in Kabul. And, of course, English is the language of aerospace, international trade, and the emerging electronic technologies. It will be some time before this influence begins to wane. And so we find ourselves at a crossroads. Globalization is, potentially, either a nightmare or a golden opportunity. To the extent that globalization facilitates the over-consumption of finite resources, strips developed countries of traditionally well-paying jobs that for generations ensured a middle-class existence for millions, and forces workers in developing countries into a dependence on low-paying labor in industries that, ultimately, produce nonessential goods for a shrinking number of wealthy people, it is a problem. On the other hand, the globalization of communication has made the existence of these same problems known throughout the world, and has inspired many people to work for a more ecologically sustainable future. The globalization of information has increased awareness of the interconnectedness of human life, and the intricacies of the human drama. The world has become very small. In the nineteenth century a man named L. L. Zamenhof devised a language he called Esperanto, which was intended to become a lingua franca that would facilitate the establishment of world peace. This was, naturally, a pipe dream. Yet, Dr. Zamenhof probably would have never predicted that such a language would arise on its own, so quickly, in such a politically fractured world, almost, it seems, in spite of us. But here it is. A tool has been presented to us by which we might affect some degree of change in a world that seems to be heading down a dangerous path. It is true that people who live in extraordinary times generally don’t realize it? ages are recognized as extraordinary largely by the students of history. But I am convinced this is one of those ages, and I have spent the first five years of my teaching career trying (and largely failing) to impress on students the uniqueness of this point in history, and the potential consequence of their roles in it. Now I hope to teach overseas and help students learn a language that will benefit them in their professions or in their travels. If history is any guide, the days of the supremacy of English are numbered, but it has already helped to set tremendous forces into motion whose final result is still obscure. By teaching English, I will help them to participate in what should be, before it’s all said and done, a fairly interesting ride. 

English As a Global Language

The phenomenon known as globalization has been called by some "Americanization" (Hook, 2005, p. 288). American culture is the driving force creating the desire for acquiring English language skills. Several characteristics of the United States have made it the center of globalization (Nye, 2004, p. 41). The internet is anchored predominately in American culture. In addition, America is a multiethnic society and has connections with various parts of the world. Notice how Joseph Nye (2004) clarifies this point:

America has borrowed freely from a variety of traditions and immigration keeps it open to the rest of the world. This makes the United States a laboratory for cultural experimentation where different traditions are recombined and exported. In addition, because of the size of the American economy, the United States is the largest marketplace in which to test whether a film or song or game will attract large and diverse audiences. Ideas and products flow into the United States freely, and flow out with equal ease. (Nye, 2004. p. 41) More than just a desire for things "American", it is English that young people want to study. Research of former Eastern Block countries found that English is the most popular language to study (Singer, 1998, p.22). Part of this is attributed to the fact that the United States is considered the world’s only remaining superpower in terms of political and military might (Hook, 2005, p.3). The United States is also the world’s largest market (Nye, 2004, p.40).

Another perspective of the increased usage of English is in the field of science research. Most of the periodicals and journals for scientific research are printed in English (Tardy, 2004, p.250). This becomes a self-perpetuating problem for those who desire to study and produce their findings in any other language. Most of the research journals are printed in English so that requires knowledge of the English language in order to conduct substantial background information gathering and historical research. Then, once a scientist has concluded their study, in order to have their work read by the largest audience, they must publish their findings in the English journals (Tardy, 2004 p.252). A very in-depth study of opinions about learning the English language in Japan was conducted by Matsuura, Fujieda, & Mahoney (2004). They were able to arrive at some interesting conclusions. For the most part, Japanese are opposed to having English established as an official second language. However, they did determine a very broad positive attitude supporting the concept that for the purpose of maintaining educational and technological competitiveness, English is the language that must be learned (p. 486) What seems to be rather phenomenal, and yet unsaid, is the fact that this study did not offer another optional language other than English. To this writer that speaks more in favor of the elevated status of English more than the conclusions of their research. Back in Europe, part of the rationale for learning English is the coming together of the different countries as the European Union expands. All of the political documents are translated into the 20 different languages, but the actual business transactions are conducted in either French, German or English, with English being the preferred language. (After Babel, 2004). English is viewed as the one source of cultural awareness and the great influence it has on their daily life. "This is significantly obvious through the media and youth culture identity, as well as their future, primarily in economic terms" (Berns, 2005, p.88). 

Today, there are estimates of approximately 850 million speakers of English, with less than half of those speaking English as a mother tongue (Crystal, 1997, p.360). English is the dominate language in modern Europe. One estimation is that three-fourths of European schoolchildren are being taught English as a second language (After Babel, 2004). Phillipson (2001) sites that the monetary influence of the World Bank is also greatly influential in determining the direction of global education (p. 190). As more transnational companies boost interest in obtaining ever-increasing numbers of customers, it is imperative that the educational systems be encouraged to teach English. This outside influence on individual national educational systems is unprecedented, and indicates the expanding popularity of English, for purely economic profits (Phillipson, 2001). The lines between educational and commercial reality are being blurred considerably.

English as a Global Language

When I visited the European Union (EU) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium in 2005 with a group of journalism students, I was taken aback when the man speaking to our group explained that English is the language spoken in meetings with EU member-states and is the language in which most official EU documents are written. This statement in and of itself wasn’t surprising, but rather, I was surprised to learn that the majority of EU member-states do not use English as their primary language. When one of my colleagues brought up his surprise to the man speaking, our speaker explained that English is the one language that every single representative in the EU knows well and is able to use. This was the first time I had ever really realized the impact that the English language has throughout the world, and it brought up a lot of questions in my mind about when this started, why English was chosen, how it has been used over time, and its future as a global language.

English as a global language can be attributed to the expansion of British power, which occurred mainly during the nineteenth century, and the United States? emergence as a leading country in the twentieth century (Crystal 53). Although there is no doubt that the British expansion contributed to the rise of English as the global language, it has remained that way due to its profound dominance in the United States (53). In fact, ?the USA has nearly 70 percent of all English mother-tongue speakers in the world (excluding Creole varieties)? (53). And, since the United States is a major leading economic, social and political player in the world today, many people need to use English for their jobs and livelihoods. Today, English is spoken on every continent and on some islands in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans (24).

Although the trend of English as a global language has gone on for centuries and doesn’t show many signs of changing, some people are not happy with this fact and would like to end its continuance. In fact, the same man who spoke to us at the EU headquarters said: ?Everybody in the EU speaks English ? even the French, though they try to resist it.? Although we all kind of laughed a bit and nodded our heads, this sentiment by the French representatives in the EU is more common than one might think. For example, some believe that if there are enough people (like the French) who feel so strongly against English being a global language that they do their best not to give English a ?privileged status,? its use as a global language could diminish altogether (Crystal 114). Furthermore, as countries gain more and more independence, they might not want to use English as a global language, and could instead fight for the use of their indigenous language(s) as the dominant tongue of their country (114). 

There are, of course, many other contributing elements and factors in the rise of English as a global language, its continued use throughout the world, and its future as a global language, but one thing is consistent today: At the present time, English is the global language and it must be taught in a dedicated and correct way to those who want (and possibly need) to learn it. 

English as a Global Language

To many travelers there is no question of whether or not English is a global language. Most assume or expect to find English spoken in the country they are going to. As travelers we have experienced the globalization of English. There were English signs in the airports; English on the menus and in the restaurants; we’ve checked into hotels in English and purchased bus tickets using English. The tours and excursions we went on had English speaking guides and information sheets. We’ve watched American movies and chatted to locals about English speaking movie stars and famous artists/bands. We’ve listened to English music on the radio and in the bars. We’ve held broken English conversations with locals trying to practice their English and have spoken with many children in English. It seems that everywhere we went there would be someone who spoke or was learning English. 

English originated in England and spread to the colonies and territories of the British Empire. After the Second World War, English spread to other cultures due to the increased economic and cultural influence of the United States. Although Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers, English has a much wider geographic distribution. This distribution is growing, as more education ministries around the world recognize the benefits of a working knowledge of English and require English to be taught to students. There are an estimated 150 million to 1 billion people who speak English as a second language. 

By the sheer number of its speakers, English seems to be the language most likely to provide common ground to speakers of different native languages. According to aneki.com over 508 million people speak English, making it the second most common language in the world. As well, in his book ‘English as a Global Language’ David Crystal indicates that English is an official or second language in over seventy countries. Because of the opportunities it presents, it is not surprising that English is a commonly learned second language. In addition to opening the doors of communication, learning English also provides the opportunity to enjoy the blockbuster movies, TV shows and music of the American entertainment industry. As entertainment is an important aspect of people’s recreational lives, exposure to English entertainment can speed up the learning process and make it more enjoyable. For those who have already learned English, the entertainment industry is another benefit they will encounter. 

One of the most visible aspects of English as a global language is the tourism industry. A large majority of travelers are English speakers and expect to be catered to in English. This involves everything from hotels and restaurants to tour companies and transportation. Therefore, English plays a major role for the businesses associated with these areas. People wishing to work in tourism or move up in their current company find that speaking English greatly contributes to their success. As well many travelers are now visiting foreign countries for non-tourism business reasons. These would include science and computer related fields among others. As companies become globalized employees travel for conferences and meetings and/or learn the language of the parent company/head office. It is obvious that tourism and business travel are closely related powers behind English as a global language. 

English as a global language

Introduction

The number of people teaching and studying English are increasing daily at phenomenal rates. This piques a curiosity to learn the reasons as to why there has been such a dramatic increase of the learning of this specific language. 

The Importance of English as a global language

Surprisingly, English is not the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of the number of native speakers, for example there are many more Chinese speakers than native English speakers. However, Chinese is rarely spoken outside of Chinese Community, making English the most widely spoken language in the world. It is difficult to estimate how many English speakers there are (considering the daily increase in the number of English students) but according to an estimate there are approximately more than 350,000,000 native English speakers, 1,000,000,000 people learning it and more than 400,000,000 speakers of English as a second language (a language used in everyday life, even though it is not the native language) or foreign language (a language studied but not used much in everyday life). 

Although these estimates seem impressive, they do not really indicate how important English is as a global language, because less than fifteen percent of the world population uses English. The importance of English is not just in the statistics (how many people speak it) but also for the worldwide purpose that English serves. English is the major language of science and news and information broadcasts. It is the language of business and government even in countries where it is not a native language. It is the language of maritime communication and international air traffic control and American popular culture mainly movies and music. Amazingly, there are about one billion websites on the internet and most of them are in English. Whatever the uses, English grabs the attention of the world. 

English for News and Information

English is the most popular medium for the presentation of news and information. Eighty percent of all computer data are processed and stored in English. Much satellite communication is transmitted in English. There are more than ten thousand newspapers published around the world, more than half of these newspapers are published in English. English for Business English is the connecting language in international business. It is the language that an Israeli businessman and an Indian businessman are most likely to use to communicate- it is the common denominator of communication. English is also an official language of many international organizations, including the United Nations and many international charity organizations e.g. UNICEF or Red Cross.

English in communication and career

English enables us to communicate with people from all over the world, as it has become the common language for people who do not speak each other’s native language. We are able to send e-mails, speak via telephone or send faxes to people all over the world. English is spoken in over one hundred countries, which makes it comfortable for travelers to communicate their needs in a common language that both parties can understand. Where career is concerned, English is an invaluable asset on every career person’s CV- it gives more opportunity for international business interaction and can possibly further your career.

Conclusion

According to the statistics it can definitely be said that English is and will remain to be the most versatile and communicated language on our planet. Whether it is used in media, science, trading or otherwise, one thing is for sure- it is an integral part of the world as we know it? 

English as a Global Language

In today’s world the term ‘global’ takes on an entirely new meaning. Initially termed to mean in reference to the world as a whole, as opposed to individual countries, but today, while still holding true, it also means something more. The internet, modern media, email, and even to a lesser extend telephones, have made it possible to communicate with almost every person on the planet, a thought not even considered possible one hundred years ago. 

People separated by thousands of miles have never been closer and it takes nothing more than a touch of a button. The French can talk to the United States of America, the Brazilian to the United Kingdom, Africa to Asia; you could probably even speak to someone studying in the Antarctic if you tried hard enough. Or at least these people could if they spoke the same language. In case you’re wondering, they don’t. Or at least most people don’t. And in there lies the problem, how is it possible to communicate between countries, cultures and peoples if they don’t understand each other’s language.

English seems to have started solving this problem, if not unofficially. All across the world people, from countries where their native language isn’t English, have begun to learn the English language. English has insinuated itself into cultures throughout the world, so much so that there is a growing trend among experts naming English as the global language. It’s a little presumptuous I will agree, to assume that English should be considered the global language is even more presumptuous if you consider that the fact that only 400 million people worldwide speak English as a native language. Spanish has just as many if not more native speakers but you don’t hear Spanish being called the global language. Hindi, like Spanish also has as many native speakers, but it isn’t a global language. Even Mandarin Chinese, which one would think had a greater claim to a global language in terms of native speakers? relative size, which has over 800 million natives speakers, isn’t considered the global language. But for some reason current estimates show that ‘almost 1.9 billion, almost quarter of the world’s population’ (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language) have a basic proficiency in English. How can this be?

Sadly the answer is money, or at least economics, and power. English began in England, and ever since the foundation of the British Empire there has been a growing power in the lands controlled by English speaking people. First it was England and the imperial provinces controlled by the Empire, and as European dominance declined at the turn of the 19th Century the United States took relative control. And it has been under this American shadow that English has taken root in the countries of the world. Simple facts are that America is the richest and most powerful country in the world, all alliances aside. And if a country wants to compete on the world stage, whether in terms of politics or economics, chances are, sooner or later, they are going to have to deal with the United States. This state of the world has from there filtered down into the general people. If a person wants to succeed in business chances are they need to be in an international company and if the international company wants to succeed they will eventually need to have business with America or at the least a native speaking English country. And all this means that non native English speaking people have a need to speak English. And it is from this mindset that people have flocked to learning English. English is the language of the world economy, as arrogant as that sounds, and knowing English means a better job, better money, greater success. So with this trend in mind it isn’t really that hard to see how English is quickly become a global language, if not the global language.

English as a Global Language

English has a global reach, it is used in business, law, academia, and the internet as a means of universal communication. Go anywhere in the world and you are likely to find one person who knows English anywhere, even if just a little. Walk into a business building and you are sure to hear it in the halls. Go to any hotel and you are sure to find staff speaking it. English has achieved global status, indeed the language of globalization. Perhaps the economist puts it best in stating ‘it is everywhere’ . Indeed it is everywhere, and there are several reasons for this, including the globalization of the world and the English speakers part in it, the spread of the internet, and the choosing of many academics as well as companies to use English. 

The Economist writes: ‘some 380m people speak it as their first language and perhaps two-thirds as many again as their second. A billion are learning it, about a third of the world’s population are in some sense exposed to it and by 2050, it is predicted, half the world will be more or less proficient in it’ . That is an incredible number. Think that half the world will be proficient in one language and you truly see the importance of it. If you had stayed on the sidelines of this one, get in the game now. Learn English now as its use will only continue to spread, and the better one gets at it earlier, the better. If that is not the definition of a global language then there does not exist one. 

In the expansion of the globalizing world, the British Empire and the United States have had a large part in it. The British Empire spread English to many parts of the world and in the 20th century the United States power increased exponentially, and during WWI and WWII the US became a large power broker. They dealt with the world in providing resources and now the US is the largest consumer of resources. As the economist states ‘the success or failure of a language has little to do with its inherent qualities ‘and everything to do with the power of the people who speak it.’ And that, as Professor Jean Aitchison of Oxford University points out, is particularly true of English’ . 

What has ensued is the ever increasing importance of English. In academia ‘Anglophone America is the global academic’ . Something very related to the spread of knowledge and indeed the strength of English is the fact that the majority of web sites is in English and indeed the Internet is English. A study by Google states ‘the internet can be suspected to further increase the adoption of English’ . 

But in terms of English as a global language perhaps the best example would be ‘Renault and Nissan executives come to terms with their joint venture common language ‘ English.’ Two countries whose official language is not English agree to use it as a company language. In a world that is globalized, English can be seen as the glue that helps hold it together. 

English as a Global Language

Throughout history, the world has been the home of various societies vying for survival and control in a resource-limited surrounding landscape. The groundwork of those societies was communication, and more precisely, language, which enabled those people to flourish and ultimately maintain control of that land and resources so vital for community survival. With the formation of societies comes the need to share goods, commodities and resources, and to do so one needs to effectively communicate with a vast array of different people and cultures who often speak in different languages or dialects. These differing societies must come to an understanding of one language which the two will both learn and use as a mode of effective communication. In many cases the domineering society, or that which is understood to be the alpha society with regards to size, wealth, power, and military might, controls the communicative link between the two and thus thrusts their language on the other as the effective mode of communication. 

The Egyptians, Greeks and Persians were all dominating forces in the early phases of developed human civilization, each in their own right, and they were then followed by the Romans, and later the French. The British were the domineering society controlling that link after the industrial revolution and they were then passed by the United States following World War II. Both countries speak English. Throughout civilization, the necessity of trade, business and commerce, tied in with cultural imperialism, enabled one dominating language to spread and become the foundation for the success of the Western world as a working community, from Greek to Latin, Arabic, and then French. Today that language is English, first used by the British and later by the new world imperial leader, the United States (2).

Today, with control of the main modes of business and communication, especially in the telecommunications industry, the United States has pushed, unknowingly perhaps, its language and culture on other non- English speaking nations who want to do business and share resources with them. English, the second most widely spoken language in the world and third most widely distributed after Mandarin and Hindi, is a Germanic language from the Indo-European language family that uses the Latin alphabet as its foundation for writing (1). It has been influenced by other languages, such as Celtic, French and Spanish and has changed its form several times over the course of almost two thousand years. According to the World Factbook, 73% of English speakers are North Americans (including Canadians), 19.9% are British, 4.5% are Australian and 5.5% are of other origin. Around 600 million people speak English regularly and 377 million people speak it as a mother tongue (1).

Former British colonies such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia all still use English as it has remained an important part of their society and culture, especially when it comes to business and commerce (1). Children are taught English and business people learn it in order to communicate and transact business with the English speaking business majority. It is therefore the main language that bridges the gap between differing societies and allows the world to come together and live together in today’s modern, capitalistic, and worldly business economic environment. English is also the official language of the European Union and the United Nations, as well as the dominant language of the sciences, where it was found that something like 97 percent of all written scientific papers are written in English (1). 

With such a dominating presence in the areas of science, business and communications (computers, software, telecommunications), the English language has moved itself into a position to become the one world language spoken somewhere on every continent, in every country. Other languages will still be spoken and will continue to be taught and spoken as national languages throughout the world, but as more and more people learn English and accept its position as the universal mode of communication, the more entrenched it will be in the minds of people from the Sahara to the Tanami as the only world language.

English as a global language

Introduction

The number of people teaching and studying English are increasing daily at phenomenal rates. This piques a curiosity to learn the reasons as to why there has been such a dramatic increase of the learning of this specific language. 

The Importance of English as a global language

Surprisingly, English is not the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of the number of native speakers, for example there are many more Chinese speakers than native English speakers. However, Chinese is rarely spoken outside of Chinese Community, making English the most widely spoken language in the world. It is difficult to estimate how many English speakers there are (considering the daily increase in the number of English students) but according to an estimate there are approximately more than 350,000,000 native English speakers, 1,000,000,000 people learning it and more than 400,000,000 speakers of English as a second language (a language used in everyday life, even though it is not the native language) or foreign language (a language studied but not used much in everyday life). 

Although these estimates seem impressive, they do not really indicate how important English is as a global language, because less than fifteen percent of the world population uses English. The importance of English is not just in the statistics (how many people speak it) but also for the worldwide purpose that English serves. English is the major language of science and news and information broadcasts. It is the language of business and government even in countries where it is not a native language. It is the language of maritime communication and international air traffic control and American popular culture mainly movies and music. Amazingly, there are about one billion websites on the internet and most of them are in English. Whatever the uses, English grabs the attention of the world. 

English for News and Information

English is the most popular medium for the presentation of news and information. Eighty percent of all computer data are processed and stored in English. Much satellite communication is transmitted in English. There are more than ten thousand newspapers published around the world, more than half of these newspapers are published in English. English for Business English is the connecting language in international business. It is the language that an Israeli businessman and an Indian businessman are most likely to use to communicate- it is the common denominator of communication. English is also an official language of many international organizations, including the United Nations and many international charity organizations e.g. UNICEF or Red Cross.

English in communication and career

English enables us to communicate with people from all over the world, as it has become the common language for people who do not speak each other’s native language. We are able to send e-mails, speak via telephone or send faxes to people all over the world. English is spoken in over one hundred countries, which makes it comfortable for travelers to communicate their needs in a common language that both parties can understand. Where career is concerned, English is an invaluable asset on every career person’s CV- it gives more opportunity for international business interaction and can possibly further your career.

Conclusion

According to the statistics it can definitely be said that English is and will remain to be the most versatile and communicated language on our planet. Whether it is used in media, science, trading or otherwise, one thing is for sure- it is an integral part of the world as we know it? 

English as a Global Language

In today’s world the term ‘global’ takes on an entirely new meaning. Initially termed to mean in reference to the world as a whole, as opposed to individual countries, but today, while still holding true, it also means something more. The internet, modern media, email, and even to a lesser extend telephones, have made it possible to communicate with almost every person on the planet, a thought not even considered possible one hundred years ago. 

People separated by thousands of miles have never been closer and it takes nothing more than a touch of a button. The French can talk to the United States of America, the Brazilian to the United Kingdom, Africa to Asia; you could probably even speak to someone studying in the Antarctic if you tried hard enough. Or at least these people could if they spoke the same language. In case you’re wondering, they don’t. Or at least most people don’t. And in there lies the problem, how is it possible to communicate between countries, cultures and peoples if they don’t understand each other’s language.

English seems to have started solving this problem, if not unofficially. All across the world people, from countries where their native language isn’t English, have begun to learn the English language. English has insinuated itself into cultures throughout the world, so much so that there is a growing trend among experts naming English as the global language. It’s a little presumptuous I will agree, to assume that English should be considered the global language is even more presumptuous if you consider that the fact that only 400 million people world wide speak English as a native language. Spanish has just as many if not more native speakers but you don’t hear Spanish being called the global language. Hindi, like Spanish also has as many native speakers, but it isn’t a global language. Even Mandarin Chinese, which one would think had a greater claim to a global language in terms of native speakers’ relative size, which has over 800 million natives speakers, isn’t considered the global language. But for some reason current estimates show that ‘almost 1.9 billion, almost quarter of the world’s population’ (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language) have a basic proficiency in English. How can this be’

Sadly the answer is money, or at least economics, and power. English began in England, and ever since the foundation of the British Empire there has been a growing power in the lands controlled by English speaking people. First it was England and the imperial provinces controlled by the Empire, and as European dominance declined at the turn of the 19th Century the United States took relative control. And it has been under this American shadow that English has taken root in the countries of the world. Simple facts are that America is the richest and most powerful country in the world, all alliances aside. And if a country wants to compete on the world stage, whether in terms of politics or economics, chances are, sooner or later, they are going to have to deal with the United States. This state of the world has from there filtered down into the general people. If a person wants to succeed in business chances are they need to be in an international company and if the international company wants to succeed they will eventually need to have business with America or at the least a native speaking English country. And all this means that non native English speaking people have a need to speak English. And it is from this mindset that people have flocked to learning English. English is the language of the world economy, as arrogant as that sounds, and knowing English means a better job, better money, greater success. So with this trend in mind it isn’t really that hard to see how English is quickly become a global language, if not the global language.