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Reasons for the Growth of English as a World Language
T(caps)he dispersal of English around the world can be linked with some factors, the most important ones being the expansion of British colonial powers and the emergence of the USA as a leading economic power of the 20th century. Let us look at them more closely:
(a) British Colonial Influences
The movement of English around the world began with the British colonial powers in America, Asia, and Africa. English was essentially the language of administration, law, education, and religion. In most of the colonies, English was made compulsory in school and became a major requirement for social advancement or privileges. Individuals had no choice but to learn English if they wanted to make any social progress. Upon the attainment of independence in the 20th century, many of the former British colonies adopted English as their official or semi-official language. English is now represented in all the continents of the world in over 70 territories.
(b) Emergence of the United States as a World Economic Power
The USA’s ever-rising and dominant economic position in the world acts as a major attraction to international trade and allied businesses. Individuals and organizations wishing to conduct business or develop international links with the USA are thus under considerable pressure to either learn English or work with it. Tourism and advertising, for instance, are particularly dependent on English, while any multi-national business would want to establish offices in major English-speaking countries and particularly in the United States.
(c) Internal Political Reasons
Whether a country had been a former British colony or not, it is clear that English may have a role in providing a neutral means of communication among its different ethnic groups. A distinctive local variety may stand as a symbol of national unity.
(d) Some Practical Reasons
English is the language of international air traffic control, policing, and emergency services. It is the major language of international business and academic conferences and the leading language of international tourism.
(e) Language of the United Nations (UN)
English is an official language of the UN, before French. Most businesses of the UN or its Agencies are conducted in English, and member countries of the UN are again under pressure to learn English.
(f) Intellectual Reasons
Because of its versatile nature, English has become the language of science and technology, which is able to transmit scientific and educational information across the world. Over 80% of all information which is stored in electronic (computer) retrieval systems is in English. Scholars who wish to have access to information relating to the arts, philosophy, religion, literature, or history at a global level do so through the medium of English. In most parts of the world, the only way by which people have access to classical writing on a range of subjects is to look for their English translations.
(g) The Language of International Media Communication
English is the main language of Satellite Broadcasting. International news on CNN, BBC, or VOA is transmitted in English, and the influence of international communication on the local mass media is a very strong one. English has become the language of local newspapers, televisions, radio, and advertising in many countries of the world.
(h) The Language of Entertainment
English is the main language of popular music and performing arts. It is also the language of home computers, video games, and entertainment programs in the mass media.
These reasons and many others, which you may be familiar with, are very strong in propelling English to its present status of a world language.
3.2 World English
*L1 stands for speakers of English as their first language
*L2 stands for speakers of English as their second language
- American Samoa
- Pop (2001): 67,000
- Total L1: 2,000
- Total L2: 65,000
- Australia
- Pop (2001): 18,972,000
- Total L1: 14,987,000
- Total L2: 3,500,000
- Bahamas
- Pop (2001): 298,000
- Total L1: 260,000
- Total L2: 28,000
- Bangladesh
- Pop (2001): 131,270,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 3,500,000
- Barbados
- Pop (2001): 275,000
- Total L1: 262,000
- Total L2: 13,000
- Bermuda
- Pop (2001): 63,000
- Total L1: 63,000
- Total L2:
- Botswana
- Pop (2001): 1,586,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 630,000
- British Virgin Is.
- Pop (2001): 20,800
- Total L1: 20,000
- Total L2:
- Brunei
- Pop (2001): 344,000
- Total L1: 10,000
- Total L2: 134,000
- Cameroon
- Pop (2001): 15,900,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 7,700,000
- Canada
- Pop (2001): 31,600,000
- Total L1: 20,000,000
- Total L2: 7,000,000
- Dominica
- Pop (2001): 70,000
- Total L1: 3,000
- Total L2: 60,000
- Fiji
- Pop (2001): 850,000
- Total L1: 6,000
- Total L2: 170,000
- Gambia
- Pop (2001): 1,411,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 40,000
- Gibraltar
- Pop (2001): 31,000
- Total L1: 28,000
- Total L2: 2,000
- Grenada
- Pop (2001): 100,000
- Total L1: 100,000
- Total L2:
- Guyana
- Pop (2001): 700,000
- Total L1: 650,000
- Total L2: 30,000
- Hong Kong
- Pop (2001): 7,210,000
- Total L1: 150,000
- Total L2: 2,200,000
- India
- Pop (2001): 1,029,991,000
- Total L1: 350,000
- Total L2: 200,000,000
- Ireland
- Pop (2001): 3,850,000
- Total L1: 3,750,000
- Total L2: 100,000
- Jamaica
- Pop (2001): 2,665,000
- Total L1: 2,600,000
- Total L2: 50,000
- Kenya
- Pop (2001): 30,766,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 2,700,000
- Lesotho
- Pop (2001): 2,177,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 500,000
- Liberia
- Pop (2001): 3,226,000
- Total L1: 600,000
- Total L2: 2,500,000
- Malawi
- Pop (2001): 10,548,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 540,000
- Malaysia
- Pop (2001): 22,230,000
- Total L1: 380,000
- Total L2: 7,000,000
- Malta
- Pop (2001): 395,000
- Total L1: 13,000
- Total L2: 95,000
- Mauritius
- Pop (2001): 1,190,000
- Total L1: 2,000
- Total L2: 200,000
- Namibia
- Pop (2001): 1,800,000
- Total L1: 14,000
- Total L2: 300,000
- New Zealand
- Pop (2001): 3,864,000
- Total L1: 3,700,000
- Total L2: 150,000
- Nigeria
- Pop (2001): 126,636,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 60,000,000
- Pakistan
- Pop (2001): 145,000,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 17,000.000
- Papua New Guinea
- Papua New Guinea
- Pop (2001): 5,000,000
- Total L1: 150,000
- Total L2: 3,000,000
- Philippines
- Pop (2001): 83,000,000
- Total L1: 20,000
- Total L2: 40,000,000
- Puerto Rico
- Pop (2001): 3,937,000
- Total L1: 100,000
- Total L2: 1,840,000
- Rwanda
- Pop (2001): 7,313,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 20,000
- St. Lucia
- Pop (2001): 158,000
- Total L1: 31,000
- Total L2: 40,000
- Samoa
- Pop (2001): 180,000
- Total L1: 1,000
- Total L2: 93,000
- Seychelles
- Pop (2001): 80,000
- Total L1: 3,000
- Total L2: 30,000
- Sierra Leone
- Pop (2001): 5,427,000
- Total L1: 500,000
- Total L2: 4,400,000
- Singapore
- Pop (2001): 4,300,000
- Total L1: 350,000
- Total L2: 2,000,000
- South Africa
- Pop (2001): 43,586,000
- Total L1: 3,700,000
- Total L2: 10,000,000
- Sri Lanka
- Pop (2001): 19,400,000
- Total L1: 10,000
- Total L2: 1,900,000
- Suriname
- Pop (2001): 434,000
- Total L1: 260,000
- Total L2: 150,000
- Swaziland
- Pop (2001): 1,140,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 50,000
- Tanzania
- Pop (2001): 36,232,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 4,000,000
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Pop (2001): 1,170,000
- Total L1: 1,145,000
- Total L2:
- Uganda
- Pop (2001): 23,986,000
- Total L1:
- Total L2: 2,500,000
- United Kingdom
- Pop (2001): 59,648,000
- Total L1: 58,100,000
- Total L2: 1,500,000
- United States
- Pop (2001): 278,059,000
- Total L1: 215,424,000
- Total L2: 25,600,000
- Zambia
- Pop (2001): 9,770,000
- Total L1: 110,000
- Total L2: 1,800,000
- Zimbabwe
- Pop (2001): 11,365,000
- Total L1: 25,000
- Total L2: 15,000
Conclusion
In conclusion, therefore, we can say that English did not just jump into its present world prominence. Historical, political, economic, and intellectual reasons have been responsible. But you may ask, what is the future of English? Is it still going to remain a world language in the next one hundred years? Some scholars have tried to suggest answers by trying to answer the question of what makes a language a world language (as we have discussed above) and what had been responsible for the decline of previous world languages like Latin or French.
Rather than decline, some scholars are optimistic that English will develop a larger number of local varieties across the world because presently, English has shifted from being a foreign language of many countries to being a second language. And more people are learning English almost on a daily basis. In many countries, English language programs are run in schools and institutions of higher learning. And as it continues to serve as a main medium of international communication, it is likely to sustain greater mutual intelligibility and common standards. And because it encourages the development of local varieties, it may continue to act as a language of identity for many people across the world. Other factors such as the number of young speakers and the rate of urbanization in different countries, the rate of development in countries, such as literacy and education provision, the population of native speakers who are literate and capable of generating intellectual resources in English must also be considered in order to be sure that English will retain its present world status.
Summary
English is a world language today because of its historical advantage as a colonial language. And being the first language of the USA, again due to British influence, the rise in the status of the country as the world-leading economic power has naturally promoted the growth of the language. English is the language of international communication and education; science and technology, and general knowledge. It is also the language of the United Nations, the language of air traffic control, policing, advertising, and entertainment.
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