English as a Global Language – 2nd Edition – David Crystal Chapter 1 Summary

they further maintain this stand by stating how, “85 percent of all Europeans learn,” it and most importantly, “as their second language” (Source B). Again they are asserting the idea that the Europeans are attempting to be like the monolingual English Speakers as a result of the world becoming more and more English-based. Although on the contrary others will object connect this ideal as a disadvantage because, “the planet’s most common first language is Mandarin Chinese,” (Source B) but there is no need to learn it “unless you’ve got a specific professional use for it.” Monolingual English speakers are at an advantage, not a disadvantage, to citizens from other countries because the world is developing into a more “English-based” forcing them to become bilingual to understand English.

“Intrinsic arguments describe the English language as providential, rich, noble and interesting. Such arguments tend to assert what English is and what other languages are not”. As mentioned previously, notwithstanding that the english language is widely-spoken around the world, diversity is important and for many individuals language is the basis of their culture. Making english the global language is essentially

Language can be seen as a communication barrier for some. Sometimes it may be difficult to talk to a customer, distant relative, or just a person walking down the street asking for directions. Now imagine a world where every single human being spoke the same language; a place where your distant relative from another country suddenly speaks the same language as you and you can begin to appreciate or dislike them even more; where now you are connected to billions of people who you can easily communicate with; where one universal language can now progress humankind.

Nowadays, English is the global and technology language. English play an important role in the world and it works like a passport because it has improved a lot and became the language of technology and the language of internationals. As result, most of people developed based on English language through global businesses. In all over the world there are many opportunities that changes people life to make it better and its English language. There many non- English speaking countries that uses English as a second language and they teach subjects like science and mathematics and etc. in English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) to provide more opportunity for their development.

With the globalization, the English Language became the main language of the communication in the world. In this perspective, Dennis Baron discusses in his article Who Owns Global English” the omnipresence and the prevalence of the English in today’s society. For Dennis Baron, English has become the key success in the world platform.

English as we know it is indeed the dominant language, but does that mean everyone should learn it? Should English be the global language? Should you have to know English to communicate if you are someone that lives in a place where the native language is something different? The answer is no. However, first you must consider the statement “It is a fact that English is the dominant language in the world today. Everyone, in every country, in order to participate in the modern world, should learn English. After all, a language is just a random collection of words, so how hard can it be”. Personally, I believe it is tremendously difficult to learn a new language as an adult, but in order to make the world go round, we all should know more than one language; no one language should rule. Barbara Wallraff, David Crystal, and John Tagliabue share a few words that connect to the statement to show their personal mindset behind English being a global language. In this essay, I will extract statements from each of the authors that explain their views on a global language to support my overall perception.

As we all know that, English is a global language. Language is a familiar feature of our daily life. It is a human and social activity without which human beings cannot function in the society. It is one of the basic needs, and one has to learn it. It is the flesh and blood of our culture. According to Leonard Bloomfield (1935), “Each community is formed by the activity of language.”

Schools around the world teach English to their students. In Europe especially 85 percent of students learn English as their second language (Source B). Why spend time learning another’s language while they already speak your own? There is no concrete justification. English is already one of the most spoken languages around the world and it continues to grow diminishing the value of other languages. Responses to this may include that while English is very widespread the future of languages is unpredictable, English may not in fact become the ‘global language’ it aspires to be(Source F). Mandarin is a language spoken by many people, it’s reach isn’t as far but China is an emerging superpower so who’s to say Mandarin won't become the ‘global language’. But, for now we must live in the present and not be ignorant of the fact that here and now English is the one at an upward

Some people think that English should not continue to be taught globally because many ethnic and national groups are afraid that they will lose their cultural identity and native language. There are also those for whom it is too hard to speak English at their work. Cultural identity reminds us that we are a part of a history that defines our past and shapes who we are likely to become. People also fear that they will not speak their native language anymore and that may mean they will not know their own identity well. Furthermore, people got a headache at work because they can’t communicate English, because, in fact, English is not an easy language to learn for many people. These reasons are the why people worry today. According to Debate.org,

English, which is spoken by 1.9 billon of the world’s population as their first language (Redman, 2004), has been spreading rapidly in the world since the British Industrial Revolution and colonialism in many continents such as Asia, Africa and North America during the 18th century (Lavot, 2000). As the influence of English is increasing, some linguists think that it is a natural process of successful international communication. However, many other languages are also dying out at an accelerating rate because of the expansion of the English language. In discussing the issue of the growing influence of English; arguments, both for and against, should be considered, particularly, in the economic, the information exchange, the linguistic

There have been many disagreements where things have gotten worse or even unsolved simply because individuals did not understand one another. A language is part of each culture’s individual personality. The way that words are grouped together, the meanings of each word, and the distinct passion that words have, all play a role in the way that cultures identify themselves. However, because of the hundreds of languages spoken there are many problems that having only one universal language, such as English, may resolve.

A language that is spoken internationally is called “Global” or “World” language. A global language is a language in which people speak internationally on a daily basis, in international organizations and diplomatic relations. It is a “lingua franca”, a language that helps people from different backgrounds to communicate with each other. Not many languages that have been established in human history have reached to the point in which they are called a global language, amongst those few languages is English. Approximately 2 billion people around the world use English as a native language, a second language or a foreign language. English is used for many causes, such as; technical and scientific communication, education and employment.

The article lists four reasons why English is important the first reason is that even

Globalization has also contributed to an increasing interest in English-language education worldwide. In response to the emergence of English as a world-linking, global language, an increasing number of schools have stepped up English–language requirements, even at undergraduate levels. The argument is that a universal teaching language is necessary as a natural consequence of globalization.

     “In the world were over seven thousand languages have exisisted, one language had become dominate. This dominant language is English.” “In the majority of countries throughout the world speak English as their second or first language, no longer just America or England.” English has taken many forms, American English, the Queen’s English, Australian, Canadian English, and several others. Even American English has taken several types of English, Jersey English, East Coast English, West Coast English, Southern English, slang English, and Ebonics. All of these languages have major variants between them, but are all of them are still understood aboard. Without English the world couldn’t operate,