A Variety of English Can Never Be a Truly Neutral Means of Communication - Coursework Example

A Variety of English can never be a truly Neutral Means of Communication A Variety of English can never be a truly Neutral Means of Communication Introduction There is a broad range of languages that are applied all through the world for the purposes of communication. Some of these though one language are additionally divided into categories due to a difference in spellings, pronunciations and dialects. One of these languages is the English language which is spoken in different ways in varied parts of the world. Currently, it is referred to as the international English. Nonetheless, it is not isolated on its own sense since it is a product of the evolution that has occured over a number of years. There was an evolution of the English language from the set of dialects spoken in West German. These dialects were commonly referred to as Englisc or what is currently known as Anglo-Saxon or the old English since it was majorly spoken by the Angles and Saxons who in the century arrived in the 5th century from continental Europe. As such, there is a great variety of this language. It is for this reason that an immense debate has been brought up to explain whether the English language with its broad variety and various forms can be considered as a neutral form of communication. The English language The English language has a number of origins. It is as a consequence of this that it had spread to different parts of the world to an international level. However, there has been a varied type of influences on the English language, which have led to a great variety of the way the language is both spoken and written. For instance it is used in different ways in varied parts of the world. One proper example of this is the difference between the English speaking regions of Canada and the Caribbean. These two regions are involved within two varied historical linkages with the UK and the commonwealth. It is also linked to the economic and geographical connections together with the US. However, in some of the things that include the formal aspects, they tend to follow most of the standards in Britain while in others who include the commercial area; it is the standard in the US that is used. This kind of influence has been an extreme source of concern since it has made communication using the English language not neutral at all. There is the global concept with which the English language is expected to be used as a neutral mode of communication all over the world. Although it is considered as the international English language, it is present in numerous dialects that tend to make an attempt by moving towards an international standard for the English language. However, there is a wide array or diversities of English that are orally communicated all over the world. These are commonly known as to as Global English, the continental English, General English, Engas or English as an associate language, common English or general English. Thus the English language is considered to be global since according to Braj Kachru (1986, p. 150), it is divided into three concentric circles. There is the inner circle that is considered as the traditional base in English. The major countries included are the United Kingdom and Ireland where the Anglophone populations who constitute the former colonies of Britain. Mostly, these are the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, South Africa as well as the various islands of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean. Subsequently, it has moved from its traditional aspect to become an international English language chiefly because of the power of its people. These are mainly related to their political and military powers. The outer circle consists of countries where there is an importance of the official and historic nature of English. This is usually an important significance that is available in countries that mainly belong to the Commonwealth of Nations, which is the former British Empire. They include the populous countries that include India, Nigeria and Pakistan as well as others that include Philippines, which is under the influence of the sphere of countries that speak English. In such areas, English may serve as a lingua franca that brings about a lot of significance in between different groups of ethnicity and language. As such, a number of elements that include the judiciary and legislature, higher education and the national commerce among others that are predominantly carried out in English. The last is the expanding circle which refers to the countries where English does not have any official role. However, it is important in various functions which include tourism and international business. Before the start of the twentieth century, several of the non native English speakers came out to considerably outnumber the amount of native speakers by a feature of three as is reflected by the British council. A phenomenon that is commonly known as the decentred English is developed as a result of this shift. It is a term to help in the description. This is alongside the attendant changes in what is considered to be significant to both the users and learners of English (Crystal 2003, p. 78). With English as a global language, it has for a long time been applied as a lingua franca in the teaching of foreign language. This is because it is considered as a foreign language hence termed as English as an additional language (EAL). Usually, it is based on the standards of either British English or American English or as the incorporation of new and foreign terms. English is also at times considered to be an international language (EIL) where it is used as an EAL that makes an emphasis on learning major different dialects that are also in varied forms. In particular, the main aim of using the English language to teach new and foreign languages is to help equip the students with the linguistic tools that they can use in their communication. This applies to the international context where according to Roger Nunn the English language is found with different types of competencies, which are related to the teaching of the English language with its consideration as an international language. Owing to this, there is a dispute that the linguistic component of the English language is yet to be resolved in a sufficient manner with its recent considerations as an EIL. There are some models that have been raised to be applied and used to teach English as a foreign language. They include Basic English, which was developed and proposed by Charles Kay Ogden during the 1930s, which its recent revival form that was initiated by Bill Templer. The others include threshold level of English, Globish and the basic global English which have all been developed by different individuals. Besides these commonly known forms of English, there are also the nuclear English that since it initiation has not been fully developed. The term globish is at times used to insinuate that English can be neutral and can be used as a global language. However, at times, the same time is used to signify English as a constructed language (North 2012, p. 102). In this sense, basic global English or what is commonly referred to BGE is the concept of global English that was at first initiated by the linguist from German. It has undergone numerous evolutions over many years. This was from the basic idea of using English that is created in the type where it can be easily learnt when compared to the American or regular British English language. In this way, it serves as a better tool with which global communication takes place in a successful manner. The guiding principle of BGE is that a high level of empathy and tolerance is created among the speakers to bring about a global context. It is mainly applicable in the area of global communication, which is mainly made up of different speakers who have come together with different mother tongues. Thus its main aim is to develop this kind of competence in as quick a way as possible (Aaarts & April 2006, pp.5-65). According to Allington and Mayor (2012, p. 18-25), the teaching of English language is almost correspondent with a related culture. For instance, learners who have to deal with the American English are always required to deal with the American culture as well whereas those who have to deal with British English in turn usually have to deal with the British culture. It is expected that the basic global English will solve this problem through the creation of one collective form of English. In addition, it is a system that is well suited to conduct teaching activities for both self and regular teaching. In BGE, not only are the basic language skills provided but also the basic strategies of politeness. They include the creation of an atmosphere that is positive such as the appropriate modes to accept an offer with words such as yes please or those of refusal such as no, thank you. In addition, small talk topics are categorized into those which should be chosen or avoided (Crystal 2003, p. 85). Lack of Neutrality in the Varied Nature of English Language The varieties experienced within the English language have created a changing response in the social, technological and cultural developments (McKinney 2013, p. 22). This is in relation to the varied cultures that are associated with the different dialects and forms that are found in varied parts of the world. English has been undergoing numerous levels of evolution from time to time. It is changing and evolving all the time leading to an immense debate on whether it can be neutral as a language of communication (Crystal 2003, p. 87). The variety of English can, therefore, not be neutral since every nation or person speaks his or her own type of English. As such, each individual feels that the type of English that the other person is speaking is their own. It can thus never feel to be neutral. Although a lot of hard work has been made to standardize the English language and make the international language more accessible to various people from different nationalities, a great challenge has still been posed with regard to the same. For example, no significant progress has been made by the Basic English. Arguments have additionally been made in the sense that there is a traditional spelling that tends to hold back international English. Therefore, in relation to this aspect, there has been a slower process in the adoption of other alternate spelling creating a lack of neutrality in the English language. Therefore, the English language with its numerous forms of variety can never be neutral as a means of communication owing to the varying concepts that are related to it. One of the ways is through the manner in which it differs in its universality and flexibility. The International English language, which is on occasional basis known as English within its actual application terms is used and developed all over the world as a language that is not only owned by the native speakers but also by the people who eventually come to use it. In essence, it is applied to cover the Basic English language at large. However, most often, and not necessarily always or on a necessary basis, it is implicitly considered to be standard. Certainly, it is most commonly applied in the correlation with the attainment, use and study of English as the lingua franca. In most cases, it is commonly applied while teaching English as an International Language or TEIL. This is especially when the language is used as a whole in contrast with the English used in Britain, the one that is used in South Africa, American English and the similar ones as is expressed by McArthur (2002, pp. 444-445). This contrast is a true meaning that the English words and phrases that are especially used on a regular basis are understood in a general way throughout the world where English is spoken as opposed to the localisms. The main significance of non native English skills can be recognized under the long existence joke which is made in reference to the international language of science and technology which is equated to broken English. The other varied concepts related to a variety ion English is directly related to neutrality. In this sense, international English has been found to reach towards cultural neutrality. This has its practical use in the consideration of the need for a better type of English, which can be used to save people from having their publications re-edited for regional markets that are meant for individuals. Those who teach and learn English consider this step of English as a second language as the attractive idea that it is. As such, they are both frequently concerned that it is important for their English to be neutral. In this sense, the English that they speak should not contain any distinct coloring that is brought out by its Canadian, British or American aspect. All the regional concepts of the varied English language have set aside a set of political, cultural and social connotations that attached to them even the ones that are usually known to be standard forms. From this observation, it can be clearly seen that international English is part of the concept in English where minimal aspects are defined as either the colonial imperialism that is found in the Victorian Britain or the cultural imperialism that was evidenced in the United States during the twentieth century. As such, international English is a product of the emerging culture around the world although the British colonialism served the fundamental role of laying much of the English foundation all over the world. With this, it possesses a highly strong attribute in the influence of the United States. However, it is conceptually based on a degree that is far greater in the trans-cultural linguistic and cross talk. This tends to eliminate the influence of the United States as well as that of the British colonial (Aaarts & April 2006, p. 125-170). The development of international English is usually centered on communities that are both scientific and academic. In these communities, the usage of formal English is prevalent while there is minimal use of creative English. The formal English usage as a result allows for the entry into the Western culture as a whole and the entry of the western culture in general. The English language is varied in most aspects since it does not spread at the same rate in different places. In this case, it is expected that there will be a difference in the level of its continuation in the different places depending on the way that it evolves and changes over time. Besides the cultural aspect that is linked to neutrality of the English language in communication, there is also the gender neutrality in English. This refers to the form of prescriptivism that is found within the linguistic form of the language. Its main aim is to make use of the form of English that creates as minimum assumptions as possible. This is in relation to the people who are being referred to with regard to the gender or biological sex in the speech. However, this is also not possible as is required by the proponents of gender neutral language. This is because most of the time, there is a reference or implication of male superiority in most languages. With the variety of the English language, it has become more specific to gender hence the creation of an unequal state within the society. In English, there are those words that are usually expressed to denote women although they are often devolving in meaning. Despite these regular changes, these words are usually expressed with a sexual overtone. For instance, the word mistress, which was in the past used to denote a respectable person hence a title of honor currently is used to denote the lover of a man or a person of the feminine gender who is kept by a man. As such, a difference in the neutrality of the English language is clearly expressed by the way that it is used (McKinney 2013, pp. 23-25). In this way, criticisms have been highly raised on the grounds that they depict the bias in the state of the society and in the way that they help to uphold the state. This difference is also a significant factor in relation to the words that children usually hear and that which affects them in relation to the appropriateness of their gender in different careers. In this way, it has been discovered that men and women tend to apply for different jobs in more equal proportions when a language that is more neutral to gender is used as opposed to the general he or man. Conclusion The application of the English language in communication can thus never be neutral. It has been shown to be as a result of its different uses in relation to the people who use it and the varied connotations attached to it. Due to the lack of neutrality that is evidenced by the numerous varieties present in the English language owing to the presence of a number of factors several ideas have been raised. With regard to the above mentioned dialects in the English language, it has always been suggested that international English and the other terms, which are related to it are well applied to some level of standardization. In this sense, efforts are being made towards the achievement of Standard English although a consensus towards this particular goal has not yet been achieved. As a result of this, there are several ideas and proposals that have been made to ensure that international English is made more accessible to people from varied nationalities. In addition, a number of proposals have also been made in regard to English as a lingua franca. Because of this, there is special need to conduct more research on English as a lingua franca in the sense that English as a language is in its expanding circles. This is in the sense that it is comparatively a recent occurrence and therefore not an easy task to make it common item of communication. Bibliography Aarts, Bas and April M. S. McMahon, 2006. The Handbook of English Linguistics. Malden, MA; Oxford: Blackwell Pub. Alington, Daniel & Mayor, Barbara, 2012. Communicating in English: Talk, Text, Technology. New York: Taylor & Francis Group. Crystal, David, 2003. English as a global language. UK: Cambridge University Press Kachru, Braj, 1986. The Alchemy of English: The Spread, Functions, and Models of Non-native Englishes. Chicago: University of Illinois Press. McArthur, T. (1992) .The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford University Press. McKinney, Carolyn. (2013). Orientations to English in post-apartheid schooling. English Today, 29, pp 22-27 North, Sarah, 2012. English: A linguistic tool. UK: The open university. Read More