Languages in the Contemporary World (Part 2)
Dr. Reham Alkhudairy
The growth of English
In the past, English was one international language among others,
it is now increasingly in a category of its own.
In addition to its four hundred million or so first-language speakers,
and over a billion people who live in a country where it is an official
language.
English is now taught as the main foreign language in virtually every
country and used for business, and education.
Access to information by a substantial proportion of the world’s
population.
Consequently the role of other international language such as
French or Russian has diminished drastically
As with geographical areas, so with areas of activity French is no longer the international
language of air traffic control or dominant in diplomacy.
German and Russian are no longer internationally necessary for scientific study.
Although Putonghua remains the world’s largest first language, it has not gained ground
as either an official second language or a foreign language.
In recent years the growth of English has been further accelerated by a
startling expansion in the quantity and speed of international
communication.
Teaching and learning of English has generated tremendous
personal, political, academic, and commercial interest.
- The learning and use of English as an additional language is both
a major language need—often one upon which their livelihood
depends—and also one of the salient language experiences of
their lives.
-Both non-native and native speakers are involved in Teaching English
as a Foreign Language (TEFL) as teachers, planners, administrators,
Publishers and testers.
The Indian scholar Braj Kachru describes English
as one exists in three concentric circles:
- The inner circle of the predominantly English-speaking countries.
- The outer circle of the former colonies where English is an official language.
- The expanding circle where, although English is neither an official nor a former
colonial language, it is increasingly part of many people’s daily lives.
Native speakers
We need to look at some of the common assumptions about
what it means to be a native speaker?
- Firstly, there is the question of personal history. Native speakers are
considered to be people who acquired the language naturally and effortlessly in
childhood, through a combination of exposure.
- The child’s innate talent for language learning and the need to communicate.
Secondly, there is a question of expertise. Native speakers are seen as
people who use the language, or a variety of it, correctly, and have
insight into what is or is not acceptable.
Thirdly, there is a question of knowledge and loyalty. Being a native
speaker, it is assumed, entails knowledge of, and loyalty to, a
community which uses the language.
It is important to take stock of those aspects of language proficiency
which the traditional definition of the native speaker does not include.
- Firstly, it says nothing about proficiency in writing, but only about
proficiency in speech. Indeed some native speakers are illiterate and many
of those who can write do so inaccurate.
- Secondly, the native speaker’s knowledge of the language is implicit rather
than explicit . He or she uses the rules correctly, in other words, but cannot
necessarily explain them.
- Lastly, traditional native speakerness implies nothing about size of
vocabulary, range of styles, or ability to communicate across diverse
communities.
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
These highly proficient users of English are not necessarily aspiring to speak any of
the standard Englishes from either the inner or the outer circles. Rather there is a
strong case for saying that they speak a new variety of English which depends neither
on childhood acquisition nor on cultural identify, and is often used in communication
in which no native speaker is involved. This is often referred to as English as a
Lingua France (ELF). What matters in its use is clarity and comprehensibility rather
than conformity to one of the existing standards.
Any questions……