The Future of English in the World - Report Example

The Future of English in the World Name Institution Date The Future of English in the World Introduction Currently, English is gradually turning out to be the principal language within the worldwide communication. Nonetheless, the subject regarding the future of English is not clear whether in future it’s likely to remain popular or whether a better alternative. Evidently, English is the leading language in popularity worldwide since more and more individuals utilize English as their official or second language (James, 2012). Nonetheless, because social inequalities as well as injustices have surfaced within a similar process, divulging the contentious role English has had purposely. In order to critically analyze the future of English in the world, the easy will analyze different aspects, including the historical background of the language. This paper will be discussing the English language within the current world, and the fundamental elements impacting the future of English language. In addition, the paper will discuss the state of English within the world and attempt to analyze whether the state of English will stay unchanged or if there will be changes within the world of communication developments. The paper will also look at the likely long-term effect of technological developments, in particular information technology on English as a language. Finally, the paper will analyze the one important universal trend; technology development, which will define and shape the future of English in the current world. The number of people speaking English globally has risen at a surprising rate throughout the previous few years. Crystal argues that by 1993, the number of individuals who were using English as the official language was more than 1,400 million globally. Furthermore, in India, and its subcontinent, the English is the official language. Within the late 1990’s, the number of people speaking English within china was about 220, 000,000 (Watts &Peter, 2002). History Background Analyzing the historical background of English is a fundamental step in understanding the future of English. The end of twentieth century was typified by numerous developments in the society, which included developments in social behavior and experimentation, writings and legislative changes, which were driven by a concern at the social outcomes of the industrial and information uprising. Generally, there an alertness of change, yet no defined idea of what all this may lead to. The fastest change is projected to take about twenty years. During this duration, conditions will be set for more developed worldwide relation, and this might stabilize around 2050. Therefore, the next twenty years will be crucial period for the English language as well as those depending on the language. The patterns of utilization and public approaches towards English language, which will be developed during this time, will instill long-term impacts on the future of English within the world (Graddol, 1997). The English language has been linked with migration. It was first discovered within the 5th century with forms of person’s movement as well as immigration. English was a humble origin as a native language through the Anglo-Saxons about 10th century (Nadkarnia, 2003). Nonetheless, as a global language, the history of English started within the seventeen century and the historical development of British empire as well as idealistic and political coverage of English led into English being the worldwide interaction medium. The twentieth century course of decolonizing led to a force of establishing new national languages. New words as well as new methods of writing English were established. English has continued adapting fast to new situations and individuals. The language has been an evolving one and language contact has been a significant change force. A hybrid along with flexible selection of English language has developed and they include Indiana English, Singaporean English, and African English amongst many (Hogg, 1998). Basically, the English language is outstanding for its diversity, its tendency to transform and be transformed. English has undergone considerable changes within the 1500 years of its usage, indicating patterns of contact with other languages along with the varying communication requirements of individuals. English is perceived as the fabric of social life, and hence it is exceptional. In addition, English is being utilized for more purposes as compared in the past. Every day, English is at the leading border of technological and scientific progresses, innovative thinking within economics and management, new literature in addition to entertainment field. Accordingly, all these result to new vocabularies, grammatical varieties and techniques of speaking and writing as well. Additionally, there is the new model of both ‘Net English’ and ‘SMS English’ (Hooke, 2000). The current era is the one that language along with communication plays a fundamental role than before in politics, economics and also in cultural life. The recent spread of English is hence a noteworthy phenomenon. However, with a deeper analysis of the present trends, it is clear that the future of English will be more intricate and also more challenging for the situation of the native-speaking nations (McArthur, 1992). English Speakers During the end of twentieth century, Britain has set up prerequisites for English as an international language. Communities of people speaking English were settled around the world. Therefore, the state of English within the world at present is the joint result of colonial extension of Britain as well as the more latest, rise of the superpower America. Basically, about 65 percent of international companies utilize English as the working English. Additionally, English is utilized nearly exclusively during meetings, in journals, and also in publications and magazines. At present, English is the global currency of both science and technology (James, 2012). Generally, there are three kinds of English speaker worldwide at present. First, there are first language speakers who use English as their first language, the second language speakers who use English as their second or supplementary language and lastly there is a group of speakers who learn English as a foreign language. James (2012) states that due to globalization, world economy, technology, cultural diversity in addition to changing population, the state of English is changing. Technology developments change the way of life and accordingly the technology trend is bound to shape the demand of English within the future; however, these interactions are complex and might lead to unanticipated cultural and political results in English (James, 2012). The Role of Technology At present, English has been generated by the possessions of the industrial insurgency. As the language turned out to be the global language of discovery and innovations and with fast developments within science, engineering in addition to communication-information technology; new communication functions were necessary for the English language. Industrial and communication insurgency led to legal, management systems, all of them provided with distinct types of information. Therefore, the information age, started within the nineteenth century, setting up numerous forms and convections of English language (Watts &Peter, 2002). English language and computers normally work jointly. Computers and the programs, which provide the usefulness of the programs, were principally invented by English-speaking nations. The hardware as well as software necessitates usage of English language. In particular, computer operators networked with the computer programs utilizing instructions in English language. Moreover, the internet indicates how technologies have been congregating; for example TVs, telephones, and “Net TV” get the English language within homes and educational institutions (James, 2012). Figure 1: Language: engineering products available for key languages within 2000 Most of the research and technology developments are based in English. Most international engineering organizations, for example Boeing have created new, abridged forms of English, which make maintenance manuals easier to understand to foreign countries projected for engineers. However, usage of “controlled English” also aims at simplifying automatic translation; this has opened up the likelihood of human writing limited forms of English to enable translation of documents into classified forms of intended languages by the machines. The expanding English usage as a “relay language” in order to allow the language to be translated from any language to any other language through English will generate new forms of language contact which might prompt the unification of other languages, within their restricted forms, with the semantic and syntactic configurations of English (Hooke, 2000). The internet, from its inception as a means of global communication between a universal scholarly privileged, will progressively serve local, cultural as well as commercial functions. Developments in technology are changing how people in the world communicate as well as how firms are run. The internet is deemed by numerous people are the flagship of worldwide English. Generally, English is used as the medium by approximately 80 percent of the global computers to store information. As a result, it is definitely valid that the spread of computer usage as well as internet has made tremendous progress within the previous few years. A key development of intellectual property rights in regard to electronic texts has been partly aggravated due to how information and ideas currently surround the world. Utilizing similar communications as the telephones, the internet conveys English language services to almost all nations and English is profoundly recognized among internet users-scientists as the global lingua franca and from this commencement, English seems to have expanded its domain of use to turn out to be the ideal lingua franca for the numerous types of users. Currently, English is being used as the standard for universal communication (James, 2012). The Future of English The “charge” of English worldwide might seem to be a transitory trend which cannot be supported for an indefinite period. Technology developments in computers as well as information technology are fundamentally English based within numerous aspects. First, technology research and development as well greatly focuses within US, second, the literature and conventions that researchers use in obtaining development updates in other places are English based and third communications technology in addition to document-handing software have been created using English. In addition, the established user base of new technology is principally situated within the US which has led to support manuals, help lines and such supportive systems coming out first in English language. Accordingly, computer operating systems and software are being customarily designed to be used in numerous languages, for instance in 2004, Microsoft, office word was developed in Hindi edition. In most cases, the user is able to additionally customize the product and this allows accommodation of even unknown languages (Bhatt, 2005). As a result, while English speakers were the only ones who there before were enjoying the most recent and best technology, this is not the case currently. The internet personifies the information society and this enables services to be transferred, and also intellectual capital can be transferred worldwide cheaply and fast. Currently, 90 percent of internet masses are located within the English-speaking nations. Most of traffic and also websites utilize English and users located within other nations and who usually work using other languages; communicate with other people within the cyberspace society using English language as the medium of communication. Basically, the amount of internet materials that are in other languages and not English is projected to increase significantly within the next decade (James, 2012). It is evident from the linguists’ research that new genres and types of English are emerging online. Internet is prompting usage of English and at the same time changing it. Essentially, will remain paramount for a time, but with time it will become one language amongst many people. With the expansion of computer usage, it is projected that the online English content might drop to 40 percent of the total material. The key conclusion is that another language rather than English is currently being utilized online and this trend is apt to be of increasing significance (Cheshire, 2001). Furthermore, the future of English language and its liaison with other languages is dependent on the world economic along with demographic trends. Assessment of growth of population in various nations shows that averagely the nations using English as a second language, the population is growing at about three times the level at which the nations where English is the native language. For instance, although just 3-4 percent of Indians are fluent in English, and with the population almost hitting a billion and with a growth rate of 1.9 percent annually, in few years to come there will more Indians speaking in English as compared to England. As a result, it is evident that the world total of individuals using English as the second language will soon surpass the total number of individuals using English as their first language worldwide. This therefore, implies that the English language has surpassed the level where any region can claim to “own” it; this is a fact that most individuals, mostly from UK, going back to their national history, find revolting (Hooke, 2000). English is the most spoke language in many countries currently. In addition, English is the only language which its native speakers have been outnumbered extensively. In this regard, there are no patterns for guiding about the possible results. English language is at a critical observational phase and what can be done in order to deal with the riot of linguistic theory is falling back on well set up conjecture for guiding English practice, for the teachers, journalists, consultants, and such (Jenkins, 2006). Moreover, English is a hybrid and a flexible language as well. Generally, the language has been evolving constantly the language contact has greatly contributed to this change. Initially from Celtic and Latin and afterwards from Scandinavian and Norman French and lately English has evolved from numerous other languages used within the British kingdoms; this implies that the language has borrowed freely time and again. Essentially, the hybrid nature and flexibility of English have allowed the language to expand fast into new spheres and this partly explains why the language is used as the world language (Braj, 2005). Consequently, there is the certainty that in regard to the future of English, the language will go on evolving, indicating and constructing the shifting positions as well as identities of English speakers. In addition, currently the world is at a critical period of evolution, which means that during the end of 21st century, the close connection that has been there before between the language, regions and cultural identity will be confronted by globalizing forces. It is the effects of such trends that are shaping the perspectives within which English is being learned and utilized within presently. It is therefore expected that since English language has been greatly entrenched all over the world, a decrease within the influence from its origins will affect the language. What’s more, English cultural resources along with intellectual property have expanded greatly and thus there is a small likelihood of other language catching up with English globally. However, there are chances that other languages are likely to rival English within their universal significance, and hence English might be pushed aside similarly to what happened to Latin when it was deserted as global lingua franca (Rajagopalan, 2004). The social value changes have had a great impact on English language. In general, spreading on the language has been faster recently due to governmental, institutional in addition to individual decisions and actions. This process has resulted from economic rationalism. Nonetheless, considerable social value changes might take place due to public opinions and this makes social equity a significant aspect just like income within individual life choices. Generally, these value changes are likely to forefront the intricate ethical matters related to world domination of one language and hence result into re-evaluation of how the English language influences other cultures, national identities as well as learning openings for non-English speakers within the world. Additionally, the financial case for English can be challenged in the view that developing nations basically make more cautious assessments of costs and benefits of collective learning programs in English (Yano, 2001). More importantly, the word is faced with a future of individuals using more than one language and hence English language has no likelihood of becoming dominant. As much as it is apt to remaining being one of the worlds’s widely used and most important language, the future of English language is more problematic and intricate. This is because English language is liable to becoming the “first among equals” instead of having the international ground to itself. The native English speakers in future have a likelihood of experiencing increasing intricacy within employment and political life and they are also expected to become disorientated by numerous social and cultural factors surrounding them. The percentage of the world’s population speaking in English is declining and hence the view of English language turning out to be the world language at the expense of other languages is not logical. Instead, the key contribution of English language in future will be in development of new generations of bilingual as well as multilingual speakers (Rajagopalan, 2004). The Future of Emerging World Standard Spoken English Speculating how “Emerging world standard spoken English” will develop is paramount. Definitely, it is likely to espouse new forms of lexical expression in order to steer clear of national regionalisms. This will be partly derived from the aspect of interactive framework. For example there is a developing characteristic nominal and slang vocabulary within English language among Europeans currently; words and phrases purely used by diplomats and bureaucrats are being widely used. For instance, there are many terms starting with the prefix Euro. In this microcosm, it is evident that members of intercontinental, multilingual society are transforming a lingua franca to suit them (Graddol, 1997). Owing to it being a microcosm and comparatively not involving a large number of individuals, the changes are occurring very fast. Generally, this can take long to occur on a world level, but with the emergence of internet, such changes are likely to spread fast worldwide. This has also affected how the English words are pronounced. Actually, with the many syllable-timed speech being used customarily for most languages worldwide, and has surfaced due to language contact within a number of second-language English speakers, for instance India, “Emerging World Standard Spoken English”, might be a syllable-timed selection of English during the end of this century (Jenkins, 2006). My argument is that the future of English is one that will be important because the technical English and its future will involve both the practical and imaginative methods of teaching the technical English. This implies that the two methods should not be mutually exclusive, and thus teachers need to search for the relevant ways of combining the two. I will suggest that the courses taught in the technical English focus more on the subject of implications of the future (Yorder, 2000). I argue that English will be considered a global language in its future use. This is because a number of people are interested in learning English since it is the easiest language leant by majority of the people that enable them to attain their individual goals. The English language is widely spoken by many people in America, Asia, Europe and Africa, a clear evidence that the future status of English as an international language is assured (Graddol, 2004). Conclusion In conclusion, English offers a vehicular language for global communications; English concurrently acts as the identity language for many individual all over the world. First English speakers will soon take in a marginal group while the number of foreign English learners speakers us likely to rise from 100, 000, 000 to 400, 000, 000 by 2050. Local online communication is projected to increase considerably and thus expanding usage of internet for social and family interactions and this will promote utilization of a broader variety of English. This suggests that the English language will still hold a distinct position within the multilingual populace of the twenty first century: English will be the only language that will be appearing within the language mix across the world. Satellite technology has been perceived as greatly supporting universal English. National networks, for instance CNN and MTV, within English speaking nations will go on establishing operations within other world regions, although their programming regulations and policies, might lay emphasis on local program. These languages, that are available readily and in numerous places, might considerably lower the necessity of learning English for casual users, even though the English language will still offer a consistent way of communicating amongst speakers of varying languages. Previous years, the countries that were multilingual were globally poor nations, but in years to come these countries will be the worldwide elite. Therefore, people should not be mesmerized by the idea of this elite speaking English: the most important aspect is that, different from most of the current native English speakers, the elite will also use and speak using at least one additional language; most likely more fluently and with higher cultural inclination. In a nutshell, English language has already developed to be an independent language from any kind of social control. There is a large number of English speakers or significant distribution of speakers beyond which it is not possible for any sole group or association to halt the growth of English language, or even impact its future. References Braj, B. (2005). Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism: The English langues are in the outer circle, Three circles of world English. In R. Quirk and H. G. Widdowson (eds.) English in the World: Teaching and learning the language and literatures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Crystal, D. (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Graddol, D. (1997). The Future of English? The British Council. The English company (UK) Ltd. Hooke, G. (2000). From interviews made in 1996 by David Graddol. Hogg, R. (1998). The Cambridge History of the English Language. 6 vols. New York: Cambridge University Press. McArthur, T. (1992). The Oxford Companion to the English Language. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Watts, R, &Peter T. (2002). Alternative Histories of the English Language. London: Routledge. Cheshire, J. (2001). English around the World. New York: Cambridge University Press. Nadkarni M. V. (2003). English as a Global Language.From H. M. Patel Memorial Lecture 10. H. M. Patel Institute of English Training & Research. VallabhVidyanagar. Bhatt, R. (2005). Expert discourses, local practices, and hybridity: The case of Indian Englishes In S Canagarajah Ed). Reclaiming the local in language policy and practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Graddol, D. (2004). The Future of English? London: British Council. Mark, W. (2000). The Changing Global Economy and the Future of English Teaching Mark Warschauer. Tesol Quarterly. Volume: 34/ 3. Jenkins, J. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching world Englishes and English as a lingua franca. Tesol Quarterly. Volume: 40/ 1. Rajagopalan, K. (2004). The concept of ‘World English’ and its implications for ELT. ELT Journal. Vol. 58/2. James, F. (2012). The Global Future of English Studies. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Yano,Y. (2001). ‘World Englishes in 2000 and beyond. World Englishes. Vol. 20/2. Yorder, A. (2000). Technical English and the Future. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. Volume 8/ 4, 359 – 362. Read More

Basically, the English language is outstanding for its diversity, its tendency to transform and be transformed. English has undergone considerable changes within the 1500 years of its usage, indicating patterns of contact with other languages along with the varying communication requirements of individuals. English is perceived as the fabric of social life, and hence it is exceptional. In addition, English is being utilized for more purposes as compared in the past. Every day, English is at the leading border of technological and scientific progresses, innovative thinking within economics and management, new literature in addition to entertainment field.

Accordingly, all these result to new vocabularies, grammatical varieties and techniques of speaking and writing as well. Additionally, there is the new model of both ‘Net English’ and ‘SMS English’ (Hooke, 2000). The current era is the one that language along with communication plays a fundamental role than before in politics, economics and also in cultural life. The recent spread of English is hence a noteworthy phenomenon. However, with a deeper analysis of the present trends, it is clear that the future of English will be more intricate and also more challenging for the situation of the native-speaking nations (McArthur, 1992).

English Speakers During the end of twentieth century, Britain has set up prerequisites for English as an international language. Communities of people speaking English were settled around the world. Therefore, the state of English within the world at present is the joint result of colonial extension of Britain as well as the more latest, rise of the superpower America. Basically, about 65 percent of international companies utilize English as the working English. Additionally, English is utilized nearly exclusively during meetings, in journals, and also in publications and magazines.

At present, English is the global currency of both science and technology (James, 2012). Generally, there are three kinds of English speaker worldwide at present. First, there are first language speakers who use English as their first language, the second language speakers who use English as their second or supplementary language and lastly there is a group of speakers who learn English as a foreign language. James (2012) states that due to globalization, world economy, technology, cultural diversity in addition to changing population, the state of English is changing.

Technology developments change the way of life and accordingly the technology trend is bound to shape the demand of English within the future; however, these interactions are complex and might lead to unanticipated cultural and political results in English (James, 2012). The Role of Technology At present, English has been generated by the possessions of the industrial insurgency. As the language turned out to be the global language of discovery and innovations and with fast developments within science, engineering in addition to communication-information technology; new communication functions were necessary for the English language.

Industrial and communication insurgency led to legal, management systems, all of them provided with distinct types of information. Therefore, the information age, started within the nineteenth century, setting up numerous forms and convections of English language (Watts &Peter, 2002). English language and computers normally work jointly. Computers and the programs, which provide the usefulness of the programs, were principally invented by English-speaking nations. The hardware as well as software necessitates usage of English language.

In particular, computer operators networked with the computer programs utilizing instructions in English language. Moreover, the internet indicates how technologies have been congregating; for example TVs, telephones, and “Net TV” get the English language within homes and educational institutions (James, 2012). Figure 1: Language: engineering products available for key languages within 2000 Most of the research and technology developments are based in English.

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