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The World Status of English and Its Influence

The World Status of English and Its Influence | ITTT | TEFL Blog

English is the language of the modern world. All people around the world know the English language importance in our life, because we need it in our work and sometimes when we meet other people from other cultures, maybe they are not from Britain or America but we almost think they are talking English.

Table of Contents

The History of English

Advantages of using English as a global language

Disadvantages of using English as a global language

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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Doaa E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.

The History of English

That doesn't mean our language isn't important. Sure all people love their language, but the first language now used as a global language in the world is English agree or disagree. As global communication expands throughout the world, so does the need for a global language. English has become the lingua Franca in many parts of the world. English is easier to learn it has only 26 alphabets which put together to form words. It is a very flexible language. One example of this is in respect of word order and the ability to phrase sentences as active or passive (e.g. I kicked the ball, or the ball was kicked by me).

Another is in the ability to use the same word as both a noun and a verb (such as drink, fight, silence, etc). New words can easily be created by the addition of prefixes or suffixes (e.g. brightness, fixation, unintelligible, etc), or by compounding or fusing existing words (e.g. airport, seashore, footwear, etc). Just how far English’s much-vaunted flexibility should go (or should be allowed to go) is a hotly-debated topic, though. For example, should common but incorrect usages (e.g. disinterested to mean uninterested; infer to mean imply; forego to mean forgo; flout to mean flaunt; fortuitous to mean fortunate; etc) be accepted as part of the natural evolution of the language, or reviled as inexcusable sloppiness which should be summarily nipped in the bud?

Also Read: You’re Never Too Old to Change Your Life and Do a TEFL Course | ITTT | TEFL Blog

Its grammar is generally simpler than most languages. It dispenses completely with noun genders (hence, no dithering between le plume or la plume, or between el mano or la mano), and often dispenses with the article completely (e.g. It is time to go to bed). The distinction between familiar and formal addresses was abandoned centuries ago (the single English word you have seven distinct choices in German: du, dich, dir, Sie, Ihnen, Ihr and much). Case forms for nouns are almost non-existent (except some personal pronouns like I/me/mine, he/him/his, etc), as compared to Finnish, for example, which has fifteen forms for every noun, or Russian which has 12. In German, each verb has 16 different forms (Latin has a possible 120!), while English only retains 5 at most (e.g. ride, rides, rode, riding, ridden) and often only requires 3 (e.g. hit, hits, hitting).

Roughly 500 million people in the world are native English speakers. Another 510 million people speak English as a second language, which means that more people speak English along with their native language than there are native English speakers. English is taught as a foreign language in over 100 countries. It's considered the language of business which makes it a popular choice for a second language. Reference : (David crystal 2003, English as a global language, Cambridge University Press).

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Also Read: Can I teach English in an English speaking country?

Advantages of using English as a global language

Arguably the greatest advantage of studying English is that your career prospects and employment opportunities can vastly increase. People who can speak English fluently (possibly together with a first language) are highly sought after by companies of many types, including international companies. When seeking work, proficiency, and confidence in speaking and understanding English can put you at a distinct advantage.

With the world becoming so much closer and more connected, opportunities to travel and explore different parts of the world are more available and, as a result of having studied English, travelers are better able to communicate. In so many parts of the world, English is the common language that is spoken and when you have a command of the English language, traveling and interacting with people of different nationalities can become easier and more enjoyable.

Speaking more than one language has obvious practical benefits in today's globalized world as it creates greater tolerance and open-mindedness. A wonderful advantage of being bilingual is that an individual has the opportunity to engage and be a part of two different and diverse communities without feeling excluded.

Many people find expanding their knowledge fun or learn just because they like the sound of new words and a new language. But regardless of your reason for choosing to learn to speak English, just learning a second language has huge neurological benefits: it allows your brain to work in different ways, expanding your potential and intelligence.

Also Read: How much can I earn teaching English in Vietnam?

Disadvantages of using English as a global language

Lack of innovation a single language throughout the world would mean that innovation and growth of language would stop, there will be no more dialects.

Loss of secrecy language evolved as a means of code amongst sets of humans. Every group needed to have privacy when talking to each other which resulted in the evolution of the different languages that we see today.

A universal language would mean that Nations and people may lose their privacy and secrecy.The insistence on one language to the exclusion of others may also be seen as a threat to freedom of speech and the ideals of multiculturalism.

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Last but not least English is very important in this modern world. Apart from our mother tongue, we need to have a common language that makes us able to communicate with another part of the world. English is the common language that is known to most of the people in the world. It is very important to have good English because effective communication can reach people better. English words used must be simple so that it can be reached to people easily as well as easily understood by everyone.

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