Introduction to English as a Global Language - Essay Sample

Introduction

Over the last few decades, globalization has made the world 'smaller'. People from all walks of life can now travel the world more freely and within short periods of time. Efficient transport systems have made it possible for people to cross several countries within days. When people from various cultural backgrounds meet, there arises a need to communicate in a single language which is understandable to all. English is now a global language and is used in different parts of the world. This section of this paper will review the advantages and disadvantages of using English as compared to the other five languages used in the United Nations (UN).

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A report by Pinon & Hyadon (2010), analyzed the relationship between the English language and the economic growth of randomly selected countries. The study notes that one of the growth strategies employed by these nations is the recognition of the importance of English, to effectively communicate with international business partners. The need for English speakers in a country is important in attracting more foreign investment (Pinon & Hyadon, 2010). In conducting the study, 30 companies from the selected countries were interviewed, and more than half of the interviewees stated that their employees were required to communicate in English.

As a disadvantage, linguistic globalization of the English language is considered a threat to nationalism because it has over-shadowed national languages, and cultural values (Dumitrescu, 2016). Native English speakers also find it had to maintain the originality of English as it has rapidly changed and extensively borrowed from various cultures all over the world.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the benefits of the linguistic globalization of English far out-weighs its short-comings.

References

Dumitrescu, A. (2016). English: A Global Language in Intercultural Communication. Arhipelag XXI Press, Tirgu Mures, ISBN: 978-606-8624-03-7.

Hamdan- Mansour, A. (2016). Intercultural communication. Researchgate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310459788_intercultural_communication

Mariani, L. (2013). Intercultural communication strategies for learner autonomy. Researchgate. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263854078

Pinon, R. & Haydon, J. (2010). The Benefits of the English Language for Individuals and Societies: Quantitative Indicators from Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Euromonitor International