World Englishes and culture in English as a foreign language (EFL) education (original) (raw)

THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA

Over the past few decades, English has accomplished to become a world language, used by one billion people as a native, second or foreign language. Seventy countries recognise it as their official or semi-official language, whilst it plays a significant role in 20 others. It is one of the official languages of 85% of all international organizations, e.g.

English Global Language English as a Global Language; An Overview

Today, English has truly become a global language. English is used in international travel, trade, science, medicine and on the Internet. The accent and the structural features of English have substantially changed in the past 1,500 years. Speakers of English as a foreign language continue to exert pressure on it to conform and therefore, English as a means of international communication has become and will be easier for speakers of other languages to learn and to use. Without a serious linguistic competitor, English will continue to be a means of world communication, due to its' adaptability, minimal inflectional morphology, non-tonal phonology, non-logographic script and a complex interplay of social, economic, technological and historical factors.

English dominating the world as a global language

In this era of globalization English is the most influential language all over the world. It has achieved its prestigious status of being an international language because of its multifarious importance especially in the field of global communication and its pregnant role of making the world closer to each and everyone. As global communication expands throughout the world, so does the need for a global language. A language that is recognized and understood by people everywhere in the world is considered a global language. In many parts of the world English language has been established. It is the mother tongue of the people of England, United States of America, Australia and some other countries. It is the world's second largest native language, the official or semi-official language in more than 70 countries, and English-speaking countries are responsible for about 40% of world's total GNP (Gross National Product).

World Englishes and globalization

World Englishes, 2001

This paper examines the theoretical concept of world Englishes in light of globalization. The paper briefly outlines phenomena in the organic spread of English around the globe and raises the issue of opportunism in English Language teaching. Ethical implications and implications for research on world Englishes are discussed. survey of the use of English in 20 countries, Fishman (1996: 628) concludes that``the world of large scale commerce, industry, technology, and banking, like the world of certain human sciences and professions, is an international world and it is linguistically dominated by English almost everywhere, regardless of how well established and well-protected local cultures, languages, and identities may otherwise be.'' Similarly, the results of a globally administered questionnaire by the British Council (1995) also confirm the global dominance of English. Three of the questions in this survey on the status and use of English and the responses to them are given in .

English language as benign lingua franca

English was first brought to England by three Germanic tribes of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes that was first called Englisc, derived from Angle. English has passed three periods, the old English from 450 to 1100AD, Middle English in 1066 (Williams English) and model English. This century English is spoken around the world by more than one sixth of the earth's population. Now, English is an official language for 2 billion people, and 750 million people speak English as second language. A few

Significance of Globalisation and English Language

English is a language of international commerce, it is the language of diplomacy and it contains many a rich literary treasure; it gives us an introduction to western thought and culture. M. K. Gandhi 1. INTRODUCTION Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. Globalization has accelerated since the 18th century due to advances in transportation and communication technology. This increase in global interactions has caused a growth in international trade and the exchange of ideas, beliefs, and culture. Globalization is primarily an economic process of interaction and integration that is associated with social and cultural aspects. However, disputes and diplomacy are also large parts of the history of globalization, and of modern globalization. It is pertinent to note that R. W, Emerson, the American author gave a significant view on English language. According to him "the English language is the sea which receives tributaries from every region under heaven." Really, this language surrounds us like the sea, and like the waters it is deep and it is full of mysteries. This is used not only by the vendors but also by the professors. It creates its warmth and strength of the atmosphere. We live in and by language. The growth and development of the language is a remarkable matter. English is the most-spoken language in the world, and it can be found spread far and wide. While there's no official lingua franca for the planet, English is often used to communicate across nations. This is because of a number of historical factors, most notably the patterns of colonialism by English speakers. Out of the world's approximately 7.8 billion inhabitants, 1.35 billion speak English. The majority aren't native English speakers, however. About 360 million people speak English as their first language. The most common first language is Chinese, followed distantly by Spanish and then, in third, comes English. In addition to being widely spoken, English is by far the most commonly studied foreign language in the world, followed by French at a distant second.