The Global Spread of English - Essay Example

Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation What caused the global spread of English? Massive changes experienced throughout the economy of the world, communications and ecology, these momentous changes have consequently lead to the increasing use of English. (Phillipson, 2011). It has been taken by soldier settlers, and traders, a process that was started in the Isles of Britain and the North American colonies. The English dialect was not meant to be limited within the boundaries of the US and UK. There have been existing efforts of globalizing English. Different forms have been taken by empires over the last two centuries due to financial, economic and war changes, and even currently globalization of linguistics remains an objective instead of a reality. Even the president of the United States, John Adams, confirmed to the congress that English in the centuries to come is target to be the global dialect (Phillipson, 2011). English learners are well encouraged by the interest of becoming members of the thought global community. The permeability and hybridity features of the English language contributed significantly to its quick spread as a global language. In addition English has substantially changed and it reflects contact with languages and borrows from them freely (Ryan, 2006). Presently English expanded globally among users of it as an alien language as well as a second dialect (De Angelis, 2015). English also progresses in manners through which it reflects traditional languages and cultures, differing from the range of English spoken in North America and Britain. The English language also spread due to technology, military and economic might. Military might contribute towards the establishment of an international dialect yet it takes economic might to sustain and spread it (Worgan, 2011). This can be illustrated in the history of the United States and British empires. International trade requires that trade be done in the language of the consumer. Therefore this implies that a popular language will accompany the markets hence it’s expanding (Pennyhook, 2008).Developing states are gradually realizing productivity as a result of technology and transfer of skills. Such technology involves expertise and they therefore have to speak a language of popularity thus spread of the language. The English language spread due to the need for global communication amongst states in technology, industry, science, education, and business. Such international language reduces the possibility of political conflict as a result of competition in languages alongside making international communication efficient (Tollefson, 200 p2). What are the advantages and disadvantages of this spread? The spread of English offers numerous advantages. It allows access to jobs requiring English for example the teaching profession. To the students or learners it provides opportunities to study abroad in states requiring high English degree proficiency. Spreading of English like a worldwide dialect has added to the unification of states. It has also contributed to the efficiency of international communication as well as reducing the possibility of conflict that result from rivalry of languages. English is not only associated with an economic success, but is also seen as an embodiment of freedom and individualism, which represent the core of western values and ways of thought (Bennet 2004 cited in Phillipson 2011). On the other hand English can lead to significant political, economic and social inequalities. The advantages are distributed unequally. For the ones who speaking English already, the languages economic value contributes proportionally to enormous opportunities in employment, business and education. Whereas for the ones ought to learn the language, face tough obstacle to employment, education among other English proficiency requiring activities. Also it results in the extinction of native languages where English is preeminent (Phillipson, 2011) for instance in countries like Indonesia and India. The English language spread resulted in the spreading of the subordinate status of individuals of color especially Muslim people and Islamic culture (MAHBOOB, 2009). Contrasted with this is the plight of non-native speakers, highlighted by (Waugh, 2010) assertion that total mastery of English, including redundant features of its grammatical system, ‘marks you as a member of the community [and] those who are unable to master the system are excluded from the community’ (Tsui, 2010). When this community spans exclusive domains of power in fields including academia, politics and finance, the disadvantage of an imperative to obtain second-language competence is clear. Beyond the level of the individual, equity hardly obtains in a world where anglophone countries are exempt from undertaking substantial investment in foreignlanguage education while other countries face that necessity if they are to participate in global economic and cultural affairs (Phillipson, 2011). What is Standard English and who decides? Standard English refers to any form of English language which is generally accepted in any English speaking state as a national norm. It entails spelling, vocabulary and grammar. Thus it is a diverse or superposed language that is publicly authorized for use in institutions, in particular suited well in written communication. The suggestion of Milroy and Milroy (Ryan, 2006) that standard languages are uniform and fixed idealizations’ of the state. They also note in addition to idealization how there exists a culture of standard language that maintains and inculcates a set of beliefs concerning Standard English (Benson, 2013). It is noticed that emergence of a common set of metaphors’ for the English language in dominant English speaking societies in history (Ryan, 2006). The use of English language is determined by the United Nations (UN). Piron argues that languages that place the speaker at a disadvantage except the other six (English, Arabic, French, Chinese, Spanish and Russian) do not have the rights, as documented with an interpreter within the system of U.N. (Phillipson, 2011). The European Union assigns key duty to the learning of language in an effort to promote integration of European as well as understanding intercultural amongst the citizens belonging to its fifteen member states (Phillipson, 2011). Past few years have witnessed a strengthening of links at most levels amongst members’ states of the European Union and main programs which are developed to stimulate learning of foreign language, teacher and student mobility. Rivers, (2011) argues that to protect the language’s integrity as standard, three dissimilar levels of users of English and the roles they act were identified, that is, the core circle which is the ‘custom giving’, the external circle ‘custom establishing’ while the stretching circle ‘custom developing.’ Such divisions determine if the English users or their functions can be grouped in a decisive structure. In other words could users of a given language, irrespective of their affiliation to a given circle in the structure, maintain a role that is active or passive in sustaining the language? So as to make it probable to converse with diverse individuals, they ought to employ Standard English. Who owns English? It is evident that English originated from England and it is also the place where the language exists most. The people and the language are linked together both by history and morphology. Therefore they can lay legitimately argument to this territory of the language. It is actually theirs. Also they are the guardians of the language. Anyone who wants proper or real English, it is found in England, for it is the place it is preserved as well as registered as a assets of national trust (Higgins, 2003). Ideally a dialect is spoken in a given context in culture and English is not exempted. Still English is powerfully related to Britain culture and as well as U.S. possibly in case English desires to truly be a worldwide dialect, it must be neutral culturally. Or it must be engineered to the conditions of every place in which it is used. For instance, English must be tailored to take into account the wants of the people of Japan when it is use in Japan (Price, 2011). Expressions and new vocabularies need to be introduced depending on the English user’s demand. A kind of English is found in other places or regions and still is spreading and growing luxuriantly (Higgins, 2003). It is can be agreed that some other types of English, outgrowths and offshoots; however they are not the proper or English or the actual article. Those who promote proper English must themselves be promoters of Standard English or have it within their reach, that is, the natural speakers of the language. Therefore the moment when the Standard English custodians raise claims concerning poor grammar in the dialect, they are actually implying that those committing that are not members of such community (Higgins, 2003). It is significant for us to notice that English is ours and not only theirs. Even though some people may not be indigenous English speakers, they are still having the right to use it to pass their opinions to people all over the world (Price, 2011). So as to make it probable to converse with diverse people, Standard English needs to be used. But, the need of the people globally should determine the Standard English and not only by the ones from the countries that speak English. References Benson, C. (2013). Vaughan Rapatahana and Pauline Bunce (eds.): English Language as Hydra (Its Impacts on Non-English Language Cultures). Lang Policy, 13(1), 67-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10993-013-9273-z De Angelis, G. (2015). English L3 learning in a multilingual context: the role of parental education and L2 exposure within the living community. International Journal Of Multilingualism, 12(4), 435-452. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2015.1071017 Higgins, C. (2003). "Ownership" of English in the Outer Circle: An Alternative to the NS-NNS Dichotomy. TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 615. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3588215 MAHBOOB, A. (2009). English as an Islamic language: a case study of Pakistani English. World Englishes, 28(2), 175-189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.2009.01583.x Pennycook, A. (2008). The right to language: Towards a situated ethics of language possibilities. Language Sciences, 20(1), 73-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0388-0001(97)00013-2 Phillipson, R. (2011). ROBERT PHILLIPSON RESPONDS TO HUMPHREY TONKIN'S LANGUAGE AND THE INGENUITY GAP IN SCIENCE: THE EMPIRE OF SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH. Critical Inquiry In Language Studies, 8(1), 117-124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2010.545763 Price, G. (2011). John Seargeant: The Idea of English in Japan: Ideology and the Evolution of a Global Language (Critical Language and Literacy Studies). Lang Policy, 10(3), 269-271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10993-011-9202-y Rivers, D. (2011). Evaluating the self and the other: Imagined intercultural contact within a ‘native-speaker’ dependent foreign language context. International Journal Of Intercultural Relations, 35(6), 842-852. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2011.08.003 Ryan, S. (2006). Language Learning Motivation within the Context of Globalisation: An L2 Self within an Imagined Global Community. Critical Inquiry In Language Studies, 3(1), 23-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15427595cils0301_2 Tsui, A., & Ng, M. (2010). Cultural Contexts and Situated Possibilities in the Teaching of Second Language Writing. Journal Of Teacher Education, 61(4), 364-375. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022487110364855 Waugh, L. (2010). POWER AND PREJUDICE: THEIR EFFECTS ON THE CO-CONSTRUCTION OF LINGUISTIC AND NATIONAL IDENTITIES. Critical Inquiry In Language Studies, 7(2-3), 112-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15427581003757376 Worgan, S. (2011). Towards an artificial model of ‘languaging’: reviewing the distributed language hypothesis. Language Sciences, 33(1), 229-236. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2010.06.004 Read More

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this spread? The spread of English offers numerous advantages. It allows access to jobs requiring English for example the teaching profession. To the students or learners it provides opportunities to study abroad in states requiring high English degree proficiency. Spreading of English like a worldwide dialect has added to the unification of states. It has also contributed to the efficiency of international communication as well as reducing the possibility of conflict that result from rivalry of languages.

English is not only associated with an economic success, but is also seen as an embodiment of freedom and individualism, which represent the core of western values and ways of thought (Bennet 2004 cited in Phillipson 2011). On the other hand English can lead to significant political, economic and social inequalities. The advantages are distributed unequally. For the ones who speaking English already, the languages economic value contributes proportionally to enormous opportunities in employment, business and education.

Whereas for the ones ought to learn the language, face tough obstacle to employment, education among other English proficiency requiring activities. Also it results in the extinction of native languages where English is preeminent (Phillipson, 2011) for instance in countries like Indonesia and India. The English language spread resulted in the spreading of the subordinate status of individuals of color especially Muslim people and Islamic culture (MAHBOOB, 2009). Contrasted with this is the plight of non-native speakers, highlighted by (Waugh, 2010) assertion that total mastery of English, including redundant features of its grammatical system, ‘marks you as a member of the community [and] those who are unable to master the system are excluded from the community’ (Tsui, 2010).

When this community spans exclusive domains of power in fields including academia, politics and finance, the disadvantage of an imperative to obtain second-language competence is clear. Beyond the level of the individual, equity hardly obtains in a world where anglophone countries are exempt from undertaking substantial investment in foreignlanguage education while other countries face that necessity if they are to participate in global economic and cultural affairs (Phillipson, 2011). What is Standard English and who decides?

Standard English refers to any form of English language which is generally accepted in any English speaking state as a national norm. It entails spelling, vocabulary and grammar. Thus it is a diverse or superposed language that is publicly authorized for use in institutions, in particular suited well in written communication. The suggestion of Milroy and Milroy (Ryan, 2006) that standard languages are uniform and fixed idealizations’ of the state. They also note in addition to idealization how there exists a culture of standard language that maintains and inculcates a set of beliefs concerning Standard English (Benson, 2013).

It is noticed that emergence of a common set of metaphors’ for the English language in dominant English speaking societies in history (Ryan, 2006). The use of English language is determined by the United Nations (UN). Piron argues that languages that place the speaker at a disadvantage except the other six (English, Arabic, French, Chinese, Spanish and Russian) do not have the rights, as documented with an interpreter within the system of U.N. (Phillipson, 2011). The European Union assigns key duty to the learning of language in an effort to promote integration of European as well as understanding intercultural amongst the citizens belonging to its fifteen member states (Phillipson, 2011).

Past few years have witnessed a strengthening of links at most levels amongst members’ states of the European Union and main programs which are developed to stimulate learning of foreign language, teacher and student mobility. Rivers, (2011) argues that to protect the language’s integrity as standard, three dissimilar levels of users of English and the roles they act were identified, that is, the core circle which is the ‘custom giving’, the external circle ‘custom establishing’ while the stretching circle ‘custom developing.

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