The Global Spread of English

English is one of the most widespread global languages in the world. Many people are interested in learning this language. As more speak English, other languages are at risk of being forgotten. Because of this, many people have raised the question on whether the global spread of English is good or bad.

People who think it’s good have their reasons.

First, English is a language that promotes understanding among people of different cultural backgrounds. Without English spreading globally, nations will remain isolated from and indifferent towards one another. People wouldn’t learn anything from others with different cultural backgrounds, and there would be no intercultural exchange between cultures.

Second, there is an increasing emphasis on having an ideal world where people are equal regardless of color, race, religion, creed, sex, and gender. Aside from promoting understanding among people of different cultural backgrounds, English will be the best language for this ideal world when it gets realized.

Third, English is an essential tool for communication in a highly globalized age. The rise of a universal language was not only inevitable because of colonialism. In the post-colonial era, English has also become the language of business. Businesses and institutions that wish to participate in the global scene have no choice but to communicate in English.

Those who criticize the global spread of English also have their own explanations.

First, the global spread of a language like English endangers other languages. The education systems of many countries around the world mandate that English be taught to ensure that students will be equipped with “globalized” communication skills which involves proficiency in English. In the process of mastering English, other languages get endangered and become extinct because they have no place in the classroom.

Second, the death of a language means the end of a group’s culture and identity. Language is not only a tool for communication. It helps define a group from the others. When a language dies, it means, the world is one step closer to becoming less diverse and more uniform.

Third, the global spread of English promotes cultural insensitivity. Even though it is easier to use English, parties that conduct business with one another ought to learn the language of the other. Learning other people’s languages to a greater degree does not only impress but also shows sincerity, respect, and recognition of other people’s culture.