ENGLISH: A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE?

Mariana Díaz

IntroductionWhat is a universal language? One used by the

majority of the global population.

English:

Is between top 3 on most spoken & most studied languages.

Replaced German as the language of Nobel Prize laureates.

Matched French as language of diplomacy. Is spoken by over a billion (at least at basic

level). One of the 6 official languages of the UN.

Why has this happened?

History COLONIZATION… starting with Ireland, next

America, next India, Australia and Africa. “Excuse”: HELP people to be part of a REAL

CIVILIZATION. All they asked for in exchange was: the right to

take their lands and resources and exploit them.

Main cause of migration to America: Protestantism vs. Christianism

Their main goal, was to settle a better place, be English, they sought a true England in which to plant their religious visions freely.

More History“PILGRIMS” were:¨ People of above-average literacy.¨ Morally certain.¨ Religious Passionates.

¨ As they found new animals, plants, and geography, they needed new words.

¨ New people was arriving (Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Grrmans…), but they ensured that English’s advance continued.

¨ English would be the language heard from the Atlantic Coast to the Appalacchian Mountains.

Even More History “The propriety of language here surprised me much, the English tongue being spoken

by all ranks, in a degree of purity and perfection, surpassing any but the polite

part of London.” (Lord Gordon, 1764)After 1776: Americans decided to attempt to their English

the BEST of the world.By 1820’s:¨ They felt that they had the future of English in

their hands. They were refining it, embellishing it and keeping it PURE.

“America” Today (US)¨ Considered one of the most important

countries (economically), despite the crisis.

¨ Culturally, they are trendsetters: Music Films Literature Social Networks Sports Fashion

English around the worldEnglish can be divided into 3:

Inner circle: traditional base of English. UK, Ireland, anglophone populations or the former B.E.

Outer circle: countries where English has official or historical importance. Commonwealth (India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines…)

Expanding circle: countries where English has no official role but is still important for certain functions (international bussiness or lingua franca)

Lingua Franca

“A language serving as a regular means of communication

between different linguistic groups in a multilingual speech community.” (Holmes,1997:98)

English Around The WorldIs feeding other languages such as:¨ Russian¨ Japanese¨ Portuguese

Governments think that English is endangering their native tongues.

Other “Englishes” are being formed all the time. In the future, English as we know it will be

spoken just by a minorityof speakers.The more it spreads, the more it diversifies.

ConclusionEnglish started in BRITAIN, , the spread began with the

first mass exodus from a very small country to another continent, where it was enriched by all the new things found there.

In the last year of the sixteenth century, Samuel Daniel speculated:

“And who in time knows whither we may ventThe treasure of our tongue, to what estrange

shoresThis gain of our best glory shall be sent,

T’inrich unknowing nations with our store?”