With all the English resources available on the internet and so many other English speakers around the world to practice with, there’s never been a better time to start learning English. why would you write about the importance of learning English in an article written in English? Journalists and writers around the world are finding a good command of English to be an increasingly useful skill. There are four language skill, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ENGLISH AS A GLOBAL LANGUAGE Distinctionssuchasthosebetween‘first’,‘second’and‘foreign’ language status are useful,but we must be careful not to give them a simplistic interpretation. 2-In the postcolonial world, English is often used outside the domestic area, discussions of the links between English and Anglo culture may even seem repulsive. All rights reserved. The English language helps us in many ways to expand our reach globally. (Penny Silva, "Global English." If you want a career in travel, English is absolutely essential. This immigration kept growing for centuries until the Roman occupation, which occurred around 55 BC. Global Englishes. "In all, English has official or special status in at least 75 countries (with a combined population of two billion people). Like it or not, English is the global language of business. How Many Countries in the World Have English as Their First Language? American dominance and influence worldwide makes English crucially important for developing international markets, especially in the areas of tourism and advertising, and mastery of English also provides access to scientific, technological and academic resources which would otherwise be denied developing countries. English also opens doors in the academic world. (Tom McArthur, The Oxford Guide to World English. It has a special place in the parliament, judiciary, broadcasting, journalism, and in the education system. "The form OK or okay is probably the most intensively and widely used (and borrowed) word in the history of the language. Talks about why english is considered important rather than how this became the case, Can I use your article in my research? It is said that Englis is the window to the world and helps you in getting the best outcome and enables effective communication. All are imaginative feats without documentary support." Almost 400 million people in the world speak English as their first language (estimates of the exact number vary considerably) - about the same number as Spanish, but less than Mandarin Chinese or Hindi. He speaks four languages and is currently looking for another one to start learning. As the international language of aviation, pilots and cabin crew all need to speak English. 10 Myths About Spanish and the People Who Speak It. "This is a complicated question, as the definition of 'first language' differs from place to place, according to each country’s history and local circumstances. Thanks for sharing such nice information. What Countries Have English as an Official Language? Because of this, more international companies are choosing English as their language of business. World English vs. World Englishes vs. Sometime around the year 3500 BC, the Indo-Europeans started to spread across Europe and in 600 BC, a specific group called the Celts settled in the British Isles. Its many would-be etymologists have traced it variously to Cockney, French, Finnish, German, Greek, Norwegian, Scots, several African languages, and the Native American language Choctaw, as well as a number of personal names. Why is English so popular, though? People often talk about English as a global language or lingua franca. It's a common language used in international business, which makes it a popular second language for many. English is an international language, and it is one of the foreign languages that many students want to learn. Citing Literature. Good English skills mean that you are not reliant on translators and can work faster and more accurately with English information sources. Even if you’re not up in the air, speaking English accurately will ensure you are able to communicate with clients and suppliers all over the world. The international companies using English as a common business language It is estimated that at least two billion people throughout the world now speak English. In South Africa, English [is] the main national language—but just one of eleven official languages. In order to speak at these conferences or publish in these journals, excellent English is essential. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Reprint: R1205H. So, what’s stopping you from learning this global language? ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Many of the best MBA programs are taught in English, so speaking it well can put you in a position to get the best training and credentials. While the British empire did help spread the language globally it's only the third most commonly spoken language in the world. Required fields are marked. Even if you’re writing your articles and doing interviews in your own language, with good English you can get background material from international wire services and papers and magazines from around the world. EF English Live and Englishlive.ef.com are registered trademarks. Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks. English as a global language People often talk about English as a global language or lingua franca. Wil is a writer, teacher, learning technologist and keen language learner. English is taught as a foreign language in over 100 countries. People seem to have made the right decision, as it is spoken in a wide geographical area. article has nothing to do with the title. You can interview foreign businessmen, diplomats and maybe even get sent to cover overseas stories.