Why English Become a Global Language?
1. Introduction
World-wide globalization has spread English into a “global language”. It is spoken all over the world. Many countries use it as the primary language of business, navigation science and technology, and academia.
2. The Cause of English’s Becoming A Global Language
2.1. English is a global language because of many kinds of power
Firstly, it is the historical power. During the time of Roman Empire, when the Roman military power declines, Latin remained as the international language due to a different sort of power: the ecclesiastical power of Roman Catholicism. Secondly, it is the political, military and economic power. In the 19th century, England expanded worldwide, this made English advance into the world and become an international language. In the 20th century, the U. S. replaced Britain as the guardian of the West, it became a superpower that owned the great strength of politics, economy, science, technology and military, the status of English as an international language has been consolidated and strengthened.
2.2. English speaker can find a good job and have a better life
Take China for example. As China joins WTO, it marks the reform and openness has entered a new stage. Today, the openness is gradually strengthened, a large number of multinational companies has poured into China, they have brought in funds and advanced technologies at the same time, these companies can also bring some production technologies and advanced management personnel.
For those university graduates who are in need of applying for job, the amount of strong rivals have really increased. “Sea turtles”in China have strong core competitiveness in fierce competition. They not only have strong language skills, but also be familiar with the world economic operation rules and the national legal system, their home employment is a big challenge for the college graduates. In order to stand out in the fierce competition, learning English well has become more and more urgent for employees. Because English is a common language in the world today, mastering
it can easily communicate with people around the world, and obtain the necessary information at any time, also enrich spiritual life. People who can speak fluent English can be more competitive and successful, undoubtedly, will have a better life. Under such circumstances, the status of English has become increasingly important, more and more people around the world begin to learn English, English becomes a global language.
3. The Effects of English’s Becoming A Global Language
3.1. Positive effects
English makes it easy to access and understand other cultures. Speaking English immediately opens up opportunities regardless of your ethnicity, color, or background.
Firstly, English is the most commonly used language among foreign language speakers. Throughout the world, when people with different languages come together they commonly use English to communicate. Secondly, despite China, the United States is still a leader in technical innovation and economic development. English is used in the United States and in each of its fields. Thirdly, knowing English will make you bilingual and more employable in every country in the world. Fourthly, English speakers in the United States earn more money than non-English speakers. Learning English will open your job prospects and increase your standard of living. The last reason why you should learn English is English is commonly spoken throughout much of the world due to Great Britain’s expansion during the colonial age. People in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, parts of Africa, India, and many smaller island nations speak English. English is the commonly adopted second language in Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. Speaking English opens these countries and cultures up to you.
3.2. Negative effects
From the point of view of national identity and language maintenance, this kind of English globalization will inevitably bring the “homogeneity” of western culture, namely “americanized”“westernization”. Western culture is spreaded through language teaching to a great extent, it also could be seen as an effective way of
“cultural invasion”, it will directly affect the learners’values, outlooks on life and world views.
A global language will cultivate an elite monolingual linguistic class. Those who have such a language as a mother tongue will be more able to think and work quickly in the language and to manipulate to their advantage at the expense of those who do not have it. And the presence of a global language may make people lazy about learning other languages, or reduce the opportunities to do so.
In addition, a global language will hasten the disappearance of minority languages; the danger that some people will celebrate on e language’s success at the expense of others. The globalization of English will cause the demise of other languages. In 1992, a prominent US linguist stunned the academic world by predicting that by the year 2100, 90% of the world’s languages would have ceased to exist. These languages and cultures are equally part of our heritage and merit preservation.
4. Conclusion
The world needs a global language and it is English. In order to make the world to develop at the same speed, a common language is needed to communicate with each other. It has been a long history before English as the global language. So it can’t be changed easily. What’s more, the strong power of America has caused English spread around the world. Besides, so many countries treat English as a second language. So English as the global language is convenient for many people. English is good to be a global language and people can use the language to be their skill so that they will be more successful in all kinds of fields in the future. But the most important point that we should be aware of is English is a tool that only used to communicate with the people of the world and obtain more information, the purpose is to promote our culture and awareness in the international stage.