what is the features of global english
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The history of the English language has been a remarkable success story. However, what are the main reasons for this success and why has English become even more important in the last twenty years?
Popular belief often claims that English is a language that is somehow easier to learn than other languages. This is, however, not true, because English is in many respects fairly difficult1, especially for speakers with a mother tongue that is not an Indo-European language.
In fact, several geographical and historical factors as well as sociocultural ones have caused the initial spread of English.2 From the 17th to the 20th century both British and American colonialism carried the English language to all five continents. In some areas, English speakers largely displaced pre-colonial languages (USA, Australia) whereas in others, only a proportion of the native population acquired English - mainly as a second language (Nigeria, India). Subsequently, in the Caribbean - particularly in Jamaica - the slave trade led to pidgin versions of English that later creolised.3
Furthermore, from the beginning of the 19th century onwards, English-speaking countries accounted for most of the world’s innovations, “resulting in a new terminology for technological and scientific advances.”4 The leading role of Britain in the Industrial Revolution was later inherited by the United States, which had become the fastest growing economy by the end of the nineteenth century. This encouraged many people to learn English because they wanted to discuss technological advances and take part in the economic wealth these advances brought about. Put simply, “one of the primary reasons for the spread of English is that it has been in the right place at the right time.”5 All the above-mentioned reasons only explain the initial spread of English, but what is feeding the very recent developments that have led to an internationalisation of the English language and challenge the traditional categories in which English is classified?
tourism, which is growing steadily. Encounters involving native speakers are declining, and research shows that “three quarters of visits involved visitors from a non-English-speaking country travelling to a non-English-speaking destination.”6 This illustrates the importance of international face-to-face communication and the demand for either foreign language learning or the use of English as a lingua franca.
The edited in Bangalore. Moreover, much high-end engineering research and intellectual work is moved to developing countries as the quality increase in national education creates suitable employees.
Technology also plays a major part as it enables globalisation and the spread of English via the Internet, telephone and mass media. Furthermore, through the use of English as an international language, a greater variety of viewpoints are represented.
Further factors that nurture the spread of English in its new dimension are International organizations (of which 85 % make official use of English), publications, popular music and the American dominance in the motion picture industry,8 which is especially important in countries such as the Netherlands, where the population is to a large extent exposed to subtitled versions of American films and series.9
English is thus “at the centre of many globalisation mechanisms”10 and although its position as a native language is challenged by Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin and Arabic, its impact as a second and especially international language will increase further.
3.
There has always been a certain disagreement about the notion of Standard English, especially, about which linguistic levels are involved. Some linguists claim that it only applies to grammar whereas others maintain that it extends to lexis, discourse and
Popular belief often claims that English is a language that is somehow easier to learn than other languages. This is, however, not true, because English is in many respects fairly difficult1, especially for speakers with a mother tongue that is not an Indo-European language.
In fact, several geographical and historical factors as well as sociocultural ones have caused the initial spread of English.2 From the 17th to the 20th century both British and American colonialism carried the English language to all five continents. In some areas, English speakers largely displaced pre-colonial languages (USA, Australia) whereas in others, only a proportion of the native population acquired English - mainly as a second language (Nigeria, India). Subsequently, in the Caribbean - particularly in Jamaica - the slave trade led to pidgin versions of English that later creolised.3
Furthermore, from the beginning of the 19th century onwards, English-speaking countries accounted for most of the world’s innovations, “resulting in a new terminology for technological and scientific advances.”4 The leading role of Britain in the Industrial Revolution was later inherited by the United States, which had become the fastest growing economy by the end of the nineteenth century. This encouraged many people to learn English because they wanted to discuss technological advances and take part in the economic wealth these advances brought about. Put simply, “one of the primary reasons for the spread of English is that it has been in the right place at the right time.”5 All the above-mentioned reasons only explain the initial spread of English, but what is feeding the very recent developments that have led to an internationalisation of the English language and challenge the traditional categories in which English is classified?
tourism, which is growing steadily. Encounters involving native speakers are declining, and research shows that “three quarters of visits involved visitors from a non-English-speaking country travelling to a non-English-speaking destination.”6 This illustrates the importance of international face-to-face communication and the demand for either foreign language learning or the use of English as a lingua franca.
The edited in Bangalore. Moreover, much high-end engineering research and intellectual work is moved to developing countries as the quality increase in national education creates suitable employees.
Technology also plays a major part as it enables globalisation and the spread of English via the Internet, telephone and mass media. Furthermore, through the use of English as an international language, a greater variety of viewpoints are represented.
Further factors that nurture the spread of English in its new dimension are International organizations (of which 85 % make official use of English), publications, popular music and the American dominance in the motion picture industry,8 which is especially important in countries such as the Netherlands, where the population is to a large extent exposed to subtitled versions of American films and series.9
English is thus “at the centre of many globalisation mechanisms”10 and although its position as a native language is challenged by Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin and Arabic, its impact as a second and especially international language will increase further.
3.
There has always been a certain disagreement about the notion of Standard English, especially, about which linguistic levels are involved. Some linguists claim that it only applies to grammar whereas others maintain that it extends to lexis, discourse and
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What is global English features?
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