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English Language
Many persons speak more than one language out of which English is the most common auxiliary language in the world. When people learn a second language very well, they are said to be bilingual. They may abandon their native language entirely because they have moved from the place where it is spoken or because of politico-economic and cultural pressure (as among Native Americans and user of the Celtic languages in Europe). Such factors may lead to the disappearance of languages on the one hand and spreading of a particular language beyond its original territories to an unimaginable extent and make it the universal language. The English language is one such classic example that has spread throughout the world in the last couple of centuries and has virtually attained the status of a universal language.
English as an International language
In today’s globalised world English is considered as an international language which is widely used almost in all the continents of the world as a second and foreign language as well as a primary one in some countries including Europe and other continents i.e. South America and Africa. The more interesting fact of the language is that this language itself is divided into two parts i.e. British English-used basically in United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa-and American English-used primarily in United States, Canada, and elsewhere-. Although British English is more prestigious and most widely accepted throughout the world American English is dominantly used. But in fact, the differences between these two, especially in their written forms, are not that great. In the near future may be another couple of decades, the unity of English--internationally and nationally in the United States—seems quite assured. However American English is now the principal representative of the English language and the major determinant of its future.
Origin of the Present day English Language
The language first learned is called one's native language or mother tongue, no one is born with a predisposition toward any particular language but all human beings are genetically endowed with the ability to learn and use language in general.
The history of American English can be divided into the three periods i.e
During these four hundred + years of its use in North America, the English language has changed somewhat in pronunciation and grammar and extensively in vocabulary.
English settlements along the Atlantic Coast during the seventeenth century laid the foundation of its being a permanent language in the New World of course somewhat distinct from the originally used mainland language. On the one hand, changes in the English of England were slow to reach America thus American English became in certain respects old-fashioned and eventually from the British perspective. But on the other hand, the colonists were forced to talk about new physical features, flora, and fauna owing to different demographic structures in mainland America.
Americans also consist of several linguistic stocks comprising French, Asian and Dutch speakers. They had to talk in new ways to communicate with their new neighbours. Besides, the settlers had come from various districts and social groups of England, so there was a homogenizing effect as they form a given colony came to talk more like one another and less like any particular community in homeland England. All these influences combined to make American English a distinct variety of the language.
Despite all these notable changes, the norm of usage in the colonies remained that of the motherland until the American Revolution. After that American English was no longer a colonial variety of the English of London but had entered its national period. The political independence of America was followed by cultural independence.
Noah Webster-an American school teacher- with a sense to foster a reasonable degree of uniformity in American English brought Webster’s dictionary, reader, grammar, and blue-backed speller were major forces for institutionalizing the American English known widely as the Federal English.
Once established its own identity the American English preserved its unity through the challenge of the Civil War spanning four years (1861-1865). The extension of American English and the preservation of its relative uniformity during countries territorial expansion was widely supported by its railroad's network spanning the continent, the invention of the telegraph and the telephone services etc. After The Spanish-American War in 1898, its international activity sharply increased thereby increasing the prominence of American English around the globe.
Thereafter during the course of war or commerce and trade activities, American English spread to various countries like Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, China, Panama and other countries in Latin America, African and other continents throughout the world.
From the national period until the present day, there have been two opposing attitudes.
No Britisher has had any kind of doubt the supremacy of British English and this confidence is widely shared across the continental Europeans. To them, English means simply British English, and American English is at its best is a dialect of it. The international prestige of British English has been well maintained by the geographical proximity of continental Europe to the British Isles and the influence of the British Empire around the world. It is also supported by England's reputation as a source of rich in contrast to America which is mainly seen as a source of technology, commercialism, and pop culture. Although remarkably uniform, spoken by over 230 million people yet not considered as monolithic owning to its variations by location, social level, ethnic group, and other factors. Different dialect regions (basically four) are distinguished
To come out of this tangle the very existence and usage of a Standard English language has been called into question with several things about it very clear i.e.
Various factors, especially the use of written language, have led to the development of a standard language in most of the major speech. This official dialect is the school form of a language, and by a familiar fallacy has been considered the norm from which everyday language deviates. Like the Standard English of England is derived from London.
Importance of English language
Usage and acceptability of anything make it important or unimportant the same is the case with the English language. As far as its usage goes it is being used virtually throughout the world and its acceptability among the people of all walks of life is increasing with every passing day. These are not mere world infect these claims are well supported by the fact collected by well-recognized bodies of the world. As shown above in the table English is second most used language (Mandarin Chinese holding the fort because of the native population) of the world and if we nullify the native factor than it is well ahead of any other language in the world. Infect English has penetrated so deep in some countries culture that they have made it their own official language because of its usability among the countrymen. It is spoken by more than 300 million native speakers, and between 400 and 800 million non-native users. It is the official language of air transport and shipping; the leading language of science, technology, computers, and commerce; and a major medium of education, publishing, and international negotiation In many Asian countries like India and Malaysia - to name a couple of them - where the population consists of various ethnic groups with their own unique dialect and language, English is accepted and used as a means of communications among themselves. So it can be noticed that the importance of the English language as a medium of primary communication doesn't lie in the number of people that speak but in the way it is easily accepted and efficiently used.
The English language is widely accepted as a universal language owing to its near monopoly in various aspects of life. It is currently the primary language used on the World Wide Web - the fastest growing medium of information in the world-, besides this it is also globally adopted as the primary source of communication in the political and business arenas. It has even become the language of today's entertainment industry be it movies, music, or any other form of dynamic art.
Importance of English as the main source of communication and information and ideas from one part of the globe to another part has further enhanced as the latest and the most advanced discoveries and inventions in science and technology are being made in the universities located in the USA and other developed countries where the English language is the only means of scientific discourse. With the world steadily heading towards globalization it is essential that English is taught and understood around the world so that the common man can keep up with world issues.
As far as mainland India and other Indian subcontinent countries are concerned the English language has come to them as a blessing in disguise during two centuries of colonial rule of the Britishers and other European countries. This has given the Indians easy access to mastering the English language thereby opening gates for innumerable opportunities for advancement in the field of science and technology. The English language has brought to us a great advantage at the international level in all walk of life be it Oscar Awards in movies, Grammie’s in music or Bookers prize in literature. The English language comes to our aid in our commercial transactions not only throughout the world but also our own widely multiethnic inter-state commerce and communication.
In multiethnic countries like Indian where more than 22 official state languages and hundreds of local dialects are in use, English is playing a binding force among the countrymen. Here, people going from North to South for education or business mostly use English as a link language. Keeping this very fact in mind, the highest authority of Indian democracy ie its Parliament has also recognized English as an official language in addition to Hindi which is considered as National language. All the facts of history and developments in present-day India underline the continued importance of learning English in addition to other Indian languages.
Keeping this reality in mind most of the states of the country are witnessing a popular increase in public demand for the teaching of English language from even the pre-primary classes and the great demand for admission in English medium schools throughout the country is a testimony to it. A language attracts people because of the wealth of literature and knowledge enshrined in it. English is available to us as a historical heritage in addition to our own languages. We must make the best use of English to develop ourselves culturally and materially so that we can compete with the best in the world of mind and matter. In that way, the English language is our window to the world. We can make use of English to spread our worldview and spiritual heritage throughout the world.
