English is the Global Language

     What makes a language global? Why do we need one?  Why is English considered by many to be the global language?  English has established itself as the global language. It has become the dominating language mainly because of the cultural influence of the United States and England. In Barbara Walraff's article "What Global Language?, she argues that English should not be considered the global language because it is not the most widely spoken native language. Although not the most widely spoken language, English is the global language because it improves intercultural and international communications, and it is the fastest growing in history.  

     English is not the most widely spoken language in the world, but it is the global language. More than 1.1 billion people are native speakers of Chinese and 372 million are native speakers of English, which makes Chinese the most widely spoken native language in the world (Wallraff 539). According to Wallraff, there are "three times as many native speakers of Chinese as native speakers of English" (538).  What then makes English the global language? According to David Crystal, "a language achieves a genuinely global status when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country" (3). There are more native speakers of Chinese than English; however, it is English they speak when talking across cultures and it is what they teach their children so that they can communicate in an ever increasing globalized world, making English the global language.  

     English is the fastest spreading language in history, whether it is spoken as a first or second language. It is the first language spoken by the majority of people in several sovereign states. It is the second language spoken in most other countries. According to Jeff Roy in his YouTube video shown below, "There are more people that speak it as a second language than a first.  More people in Southeast Asia speak English than in the United States and the United Kingdom combined" (Roy). Many more people are in the process of learning English than there are currently fluently speaking it, which is why it will remain the dominant global language (Roy). According to most scholars, one-fourth of the world's entire population can communicate in English in some fashion. That is a staggering 1.75 billion people. This is what makes a language global.

   

     We need a global language to improve intercultural communications.  Intercultural communications help us share information across different cultures and social groups. Radios across the world play songs that are sung in English, which are hugely popular.  Satellite television stations play a variety of shows, including reality shows that are also popular across the world. When people travel, whether it is for a vacation or for business, being able to communicate is vital.  Traveling to foreign countries typically involves the use of an airport and once arriving at the chosen destination, taxis. On vacation, tourists need to be able to not only order dinner, hail a taxi, but more importantly to also ask for help. One of Barbara Walraff's main arguments against English being the global language is that it is not the most spoken native language. She states, "more and more people who speak English speak another language at least as well, and probably better" (Walraff 540). One of the points of a language being global is not which one has the most native speakers, or even the most fluent speakers.  It is the language that most people can at least communicate in some form and understand enough to enjoy music and/or television.

     English dominates the world as no language ever has because of the influx of globalization and technology, improving international communications. Per Seth Mydans, "It is the common language in almost every endeavor, from science to air traffic control to the global jihad, where it is apparently the means of communication between speakers of Arabic and other languages". At call centers worldwide, which are considered per Mydans as "the emblem of globalized workplace", they speak English.  Several foreign companies use English in the workplace because much of their business is done via internet and other communications with the outside world. More and more multinational companies are mandating English as their corporate language in an attempt to facilitate communications and performance across geographically diverse business endeavors (Neeley). Ship captains around the world use "Seaspeak" and airplane pilots and traffic controllers use "Airspeak" which are "derived from English but was developed by native speakers of a variety of languages" (Walraff 545). For businesses to survive and thrive in a global economy, overcoming the language barrier is a must. Also, for safety purposes, it is imperative that there is continuity in language for our airspace and at sea. Per Jeff Roy, in 75 countries English has special status, one-third of all books are published in it, two-thirds of scientists read it, and three-fourths of the world's mail and four-fifths of all electronic communications are written in it.

     Lastly Walraff states "that the relationship between science or technology and English is essentially, accidental. It is chiefly because the United States has long been in the vanguard of much scientific and technological research, of course, that English is so widely used in these fields" (551). Walraff also states "American culture furthers innovation, openness to new ideas, and so forth, that our culture, whether by accident or not, is inseparable from the English language" (552). Accident or not, English is the global language.  Regardless of how it became the global language, a common form of communication between scientists from all nations is a must for the betterment of research and technology.  Research after all not only leads to useful new technology, but it also saves lives.

     The spoken and written word is a very important thing.  When we communicate, we need to know that we are understood.  It is imperative that we have a common language that simplifies our basic need to communicate as a whole as well as more specifically in the business world.  English provides us with this need to be understood.  As stated, it is not the most widely spoken language, it is however the most widely accepted.  Intercultural and international communications are improved by having a global language.  English continues to grow throughout the world, and will continue to do so as the leading global language, which brings us together as one.

WORKS CITED

Wallraff, Barbara. "What Global Language?" The Atlantic Monthly Nov. 2000: 535-542. The Atlantic. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. 

Crystal, David.  "English as a global language, Cambridge Cup 1997." Language in society 28.1 (1999): 120-124.

Mydans, Seth. "Across cultures, English is the word." The New York Times 9 Apr. 2007: n. pag. NY Times. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

Neeley, Tsedal. "Global Business Speaks English." Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business , n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. 

Roy, Jeff - How English Became a Global Language. Perf. Roy. YouTube, 29 March 2013. Web. 1 March 2014.

Sinclair and Rockwell.  Voyant Tools. Web. 2014.

Pictures from Google Images. Web. 2014.