Part 2. English as a World Language

 

The dominance of English in the contemporary world is explained by the appearance of lots of people who want to learn English not for pleasure or prestige but because English has become the key to international scientific, technological and commercial innovations of today.

Previously the reason for learning any foreign language was not well defined. Knowledge of foreign languages was regarded as a sign of a well-rounded education, but few had really questioned why it was necessary. Foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time when the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge. People who speak English fall into one of three groups: those who have learnt it as their native language, those who have learnt it as
a second language in a society which is mainly bilingual and those who are force to use it for a practical purpose - professional or educational. In a number of speakers (400 million) it is second only to Mandarin Chinese.

The total knowledge of mankind doubles every seven years. English is needed as the main and the most efficient means of information exchange. With the acceptance of English as the international language of technology and commerce a new generation of people appears who know why they are learning the language. Some people learn it because they need them in their work, others travel abroad, for the third studying languages is a hobby. The engineers cannot work with an imported instrument or a machine if they are not able to read the instruction how to do it. Scientists need English to keep up with developments in their fields. Many students need it because their course of studies includes textbooks available only in English. Young people around the world need English in order to be able to communicate with their pen-friends in other countries, understand films and songs.

Over 300 million people who live in Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America speak English as a native tongue. English is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada, and the South African Republic.

 

As for basic characteristics of English there are following:

1. Simplicity of form. Old English, Greek, had many inflections to show singular and plural, tense, person, etc., but over the centuries words have been simplified. Verbs now have very few inflections, and adjectives do not change according to the noun.

2. Flexibility. As a result of the loss of inflections, English has become, over the past five centuries, a very flexible language. Without inflections, the same word can operate as many different parts of speech, many nouns and verbs have the same form, for example to work -work, to phone- phone , to answer- answer, to visit- visit ,to watch- watch. Adjectives also can be used as verbs: warm and to warm, clean and to clean.

3. Openness of vocabulary. This involves the free admission of words from other languages and the easy creation of compounds and derivatives. Most world languages have contributed some words to English at some time, and the process is now being reversed. Purists of the French, Russian, and Japanese languages are resisting the arrival of English in their vocabulary.

Geographically, English is the most widespread language on Earth. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organizations. It is the language of literature, education, modern music, international tourism, science, trade and cultural relations, aviation, and international sport. It is also the major language of diplomacy. This will no doubt continue, although the opinion that all other languages will die out is absurd.

At present no other language on Earth is better suited to play the role of world language.

 

III. Comprehension check

3.1. Answer the questions:

1. What is language?

2. What language is an international one?

3. What was the first international language?

4. Did the Greek language replace the first international language?

5.What language was the next international one?

6. Had all the languages equal importance in different centuries in the world?Why?

7. What language was popular in the 15-th and 16-th centuries?

8. When did French become the dominant language of the Western world?

9. When did the transition from French to English start?

10. What is the dominance of English in the contemporary world explained by?

11. What are the three groups of people speaking Englsh?

12. Why do people learn the English language?

13. What are the basic characteristics of English?

14. How many people do speak English as a native tongue?

15.Why  does English play the role of world language?

 

3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:

1.Language enables people to understand each other.

2. A language that is used as a means of communication by people of

different nations is called national.

3. The first international language appeared on Earth while construction the Babylon Tower.

4. The first international language that we know about was the language of the Phoenicians.

5. The Latin language replaced Phoenician as a means of international communication.

6. Latin was the universal language of Medieval Europe for five centuries.

7. Not all the languages had equal importance in different centuries in the world.

8. German was also very popular in Medieval Europe.

9. French became the dominant language of the Western world in the 20th century.

10. Since childhood Russian aristocrats and common people were learning French.

11. In the first half of the 20-th century English started gradually to replace French as the international language because of two World Wars.

13. In a number of speakers English is second only to Mandarin Chinese.

14. The basic characteristics of English were developed by the     linguists in the 19^th century.

15. Geographically, English is the most widespread language on Earth.

 

3.3. Choose the right variant (use the information taken from the texts 1 and 2):

1. A language that is used as a means of communication by people of different nations is called … .

a) national

b) international

c) local

2. The first international language that we know about was the language of the … .

a) Chinese

b) Japanese

c) Phoenicians

3. The … language replaced Phoenician as a means of international communication.

a) Greek

b) Latin

c) French

4. In the 19-th century… was the official language of our country.

a) French

b) English

c) Russian

5. … is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada, and the South African Republic.

a) French

b) Spanish

c) English

6. In a number of speakers English is second only to ... .

a) German

b) Spanish

c) Mandarin Chinese

7. Verbs now have very few … .

a) forms

b) tenses

c) inflections

8. … also can be used as verbs.

a) Nouns

b) Pronouns

c) Prepositions

9. … of the French, Russian, and Japanese languages are resisting the arrival of English in their vocabulary.

a) Purists

b) Writers

c) Teachers

10. The opinion that all other languages will die out is … .

a) true

b) absurd

c) controversial

3.4. Arrange the sentences according to the order in the text English as a World Language, Part II:

 

1. Foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time when the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge.

2. As for basic characteristics of English there are following.

3. Previously the reason for learning any foreign language was not well defined.

4. Old English, Greek, had many inflections to show singular and
plural, tense, person, etc.

5. Most world languages have contributed some words to English at
some time, and the process is now being reversed.

6. People who speak English fall into one of three groups.

7. Purists of the French, Russian, and Japanese languages are resisting the arrival of English in their vocabulary.

8. It is also the major language of diplomacy.

9. At present no other language on Earth is better suited to play the role of world language.

10. Without inflections, the same word can operate as many different parts of speech.

3.5. Make up adjectives:

 

Model: Russia – Russian.

Persia –

Germany –

Spain –

Japan –

China –

Scotland –

Wales –

Ireland –

Portugal –

Europe –

Greece –

Turkey –

Australia –

Canada –

 

IV. Grammar in Focus

 

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