Accreditation For TESOL

english as a Global languageIn recent years the english language has established itself on a global scale. This is evident in all forms of media including the internet for which it is the primary language. Even if it cannot be officially described as a universal language it is certainly becoming omnipresent. Its worldwide reach is greater than that of any other language. Not even Latin ever managed to establish itself as english has done. Approximately one quarter of the world’s population uses english to some extent that is around 1.5 billion people. No other language can match this, not even chinese which is spoken by around 1.1 billion. A global language is one that is learnt and spoken internationally as either a native or second language. It is the language used to enable communication between people from diverse backgrounds in numerous situations. The reason the english language has been able to acquire such worldly status lies with the great historical power and influential military conquests acted out by its speakers. A supremacy in political and military power leads to a supremacy in the language used by these extremely powerful countries. The widespread and increasing use of english has been maintained through two channels. These are, air travel and the availability of advanced communication technologies. Air travel has seen people crossing continents for both personal and business related reasons. It has also enabled the development of international business and research communities. Since as recently as the 1950’s, numerous international bodies such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Health Organization have come into being. With such a huge amount of international contact, it is becoming too complex and costly to communicate with each other through the traditional means of translation. To ensure efficient and cost effective communication, a lingua franca for these groups is the only other sensible option. Due to its historical power and the fact that it is already familiar to such a huge number of people, english appears to be the language currently taking on this necessary global role. The potential existence of a global english language generates possible benefits but also poses a number of risks. Academically and from a business point of view, a global language enables cheaper, more efficient communication with a greater number of people. However, many people are worried that the widespread use of english will put those who hold this global language as their mother tongue at an unfair advantage compared to those who are using it as a second or even a third language. For example, an english or American scientist producing an english paper will produce their work more quickly and fluently than say a japanese scientist writing an english paper on the same topic. Another concern is that adopting english on a global scale will make natural english speakers disregard the importance of learning other languages. This can already be seen in the common scenario of the english tourist who travels the world and expects to be understood by everybody. However, this said, there has been a recent realization of how important it is to respect the culture and language of the country you are visiting. The third concern is that if all countries eventually adopt english as their language, personal and cultural identities will be threatened. Related to this point, subtleties of culture expressed through literature and the performing arts can be lost in translation when converted to other languages. If the only medium for such artistic expression is english, the point that the writer or artist originally wished to make could be lost. A possible solution to this problem would be bilingualism where children are taught english alongside their mother tongue to preserve identity whilst also learning english to aid them in other areas of life. The introduction of a global language poses both advantages and disadvantages. The key to using english as a global language lies in a careful and considered introduction. Whilst a global language is a necessity on many levels the importance of other languages for other reasons must not be forgotten.