“With more than 320 million speakers, English is today the most widely spoken language in the world after Chinese (Mandarin).” English as a lingua franca has a positive effect on numerous global issues such as: science, technology and commerce. First of all, Let's define the term “lingua franca”. Lingua franca: a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues. Or basically, a universal language. I will be listing the two sides of the issues surrounding English as a lingua franca. First, I will note the positive side.
Linguists consider the growth of English to be a product of globalization. Because the English language is practiced by so many, the English language continues to evolve. This is positive in my personal opinion. Why? Because English as a lingua franca serves the main purpose of what languages are supposed to do – to communicate. English as a lingua franca exemplifies the function of languages. Using a universal language enables people to communicate in greater masses. According to linguists “English is the most common language to communicate scientific, technological, academic, and international trade information.” Being able to communicate at a global level will obviously promote growth. Some linguists disagree however, they believe the globalization of a language can result to the death of other languages.
The negative effects of English as a lingua franca: English is becoming so widely used that the other non-native speakers cannot “preserve” their own languages. This is a fierce debate, “English vs. Other Languages”. Some even argue that that English is a form of linguistic imperialism. Linguistic imperialism is developed by Robert Phillipson. Phillipson defines English linguistic imperialism as: the dominance asserted and retained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages. In response to Phillipson's concept of English linguistic imperialism, Linguistics Professor Juliane House says, "Paradoxically, the very spread of English can motivate speakers of other languages to insist on their own local language, binding them to their own cultural and historical tradition”
My personal thoughts, I believe that English as a lingua franca is a means of global growth. It is unavoidable, communicating with one universal language enables people to exchange knowledge and goods more efficiently. I do agree that the spread of English worldwide, will have negative effects, but the positives will overwhelm the negatives. We can live with languages dying, I don't believe in preserving any languages because what's the point of a language if only a few speak it? It is inefficient and inhibits growth. As the debate continues, the English language will continue to grow from the product of humans' natural habits of exchanging knowledge and goods.
In summary, English continues to show that its dominant force throughout the world is overwhelming the other languages, while the other languages struggle to gain any power. English is used mostly to communicate in terms of sharing scientific, technological, academic, and international trade information. What are your thoughts on the dominance of English? Do you think it's logical to have a universal language to communicate? Are the different cultures affected by the power of a dominant language? If so, is it worth the trade, from the benefits of having English as a lingua franca?
Throughout the different articles we needed to read this week, no one in this class can argue that the English language is growing and becoming the main language that commerce and education use. With the invention of the Internet the English language has spread throughout the globe and many citizens of other countries now believe that in order to succeed in life you have to learn how to speak English. This need to learn English has had the two effects that you spoke about, that it could lead to the extinction of other languages and it could also lead to motivation for locals to insist on speaking their own language, strengthening their culture and history. I do believe that it would be good for the whole world if there was one central language that was used for citizens of different culture to communicate with and this global language would hopefully lead to the sharing of new ideas and information. But I do not agree with you when you say that it does not matter that other, smaller languages go extinct. Even if it is inefficient I think that every language enriches us as a culture and to move forward we must always remember the past, and learn from it to move forward.
ReplyDelete