International multilingualism. A lingua franca. The role of English on the international scene

Multilingualism is a very widespread phenomenon. The multilingual situation is the rule rather than exception. The vast majority of the nation-states of the world have more than one language spoken indigenously(местно)within their frontiers.

Multilingual nations exist in all parts of the world. Nearly all European nations are multilingual to a certain extent. Perhaps the most multilingual of all countries in Europe, apart from Russia and Romania. About 85% of the population have romanianas their mother tongue, but at least 14 other languages are spoken natively in the country.

But in spite of existence of so many languages in the world, still people from different countries are able to communicate with each other quite easily as they are also familiar with languages capable of functioning as lingua franca. A lingua franca is which is used as a means of communication among people who have no native language in common. Some of the languages which are used in this way in Africa, like English and French, are not indigenous to the area in question and are often learned through formal education. Many African lingua francas, though, indigenous, and many have come to be used as such because of the political dominance of their native speakers. In west Africa one of the most important lingua francas which is still used for predominantly trading purposes is Kausa. Many languages have spread as lingua franca in the same kind of way, only to contrast again later for reasons of economics and politics. Greek, for instance, became lingua franca in the ancient world as a result of Alexander’s military conquests, and was used widely from Turkey to Portugal. The original lingua franca from which the term is derived was a form of Provencal that was used as a lingua franca by the multilingual crusaders. When governments are presented with the problem, as many “new” nations have been, of selecting a national language or languages, lingua francas are very useful. There are clear advantages to be gained from the selection of a language which many people already understand. In India, Hindi is used as a lingua franca in much of the northern part of the country. Also there is an opinion that artificial languages such as Esperanto should be adopted as a lingua franca. At present it seems unlikely that any nation-state will adopt Esperanto as its official language because of the practical problems involved, and also because, being a neutral language, it is not national in any way. As to Europe, English is considered to be lingua franca. According to the European commission, some 84% of young people in the EC are currently learning English as a second language. It is the world language, the most popular second language in China and Japan and spoken by 760-800 million people around the world. Taking into consideration these facts we can say that this international language cannot accurately be called ‘english’ at all. It ought to be called world English, international English or Anglo-American. The language is not longer the intellectual property of Britain. One of its great advantages as a world language is that there is on academy to decide what is not ‘good english’. English like the Common Law is what it has been – a less formal and a more flexible instrument than either French or German.

European English is spoken from Brussels to Bratislava an as a first or second language by more than half the people of European Community. The EC is debating whether to recognize more l-ges, such as Welsh, Catalan or Frisian. Countries like Britain and France are opposing the idea because they say it will mean more bureaucracy.

L-ge is perhaps the greatest barrier to trade and the Single Market. Promoting English within the EC Lingua programme or perhaps some new EC programme would surely be the cheapest, most sensible way of overcoming it.

8. The New & the Old in School education in Great Britain (Types of schools, achievements & Shortcomings)

Preschool & school levels are distinguished in the school system in the UK.

Preschool level is presented by nursery schools, day nurseries & informal play groups.

- nursery schools operate during the normal school hours, they are free of charge & are run by Local Educational Authorities (LEA).

- day nurseries are normally open for longer than nurseries schools, charge tuition & are run by Local Health Authorities

- informal play groups are organized by parents & voluntary body in halls or private homes.

School level in its turn is divided into Primary & Secondary education.

Primary schools are divided into infants (children from 5 to 8) & juniors (children from 8 to 11).

In infants schools the methods may seem like an extension of those used in nursery schools. The classroom is free & noisy, children are in groups doing quite different things. But it is assumed that by the time children are ready for the junior school they will be able to read & write & do simple addition & substraction of numerals (so called the three Rs).

The transition from the infants school to the junior marks the transition from play to real work. The curriculum begins to be arranged into individual subjects.

There is usually a move from primary to secondary school (at the age of 11).

Until the 1960s there existed the tripartite system of secondary schools. Under it children took the 11 Plus exam at the end of primary school.

The highest scoring pupils (about 20 %) went to Grammar schools, which offered an academic 5year course leading to the General Certificate of Education at the ordinary level (the GCE O-level). Having obtained this certificate a pupil either left the school or continued his studies for another 2 years in the Sixth Form to obtain the GCE at the Advanced level (the GCE A-level).

Technical schools admitted 5 to 7% of the pupils. It served those pupils who are more mechanically implied, there was more science & maths on the curriculum. Technical schools were widely considered inferior to Grammar schools.

The Secondary modern schools were attended by 75% of pupils. These schools led to the Certificate of Secondary Education (the CSE), which was not accepted for entering the University. These schools provided general non-academic education for children of average ability.

For years the tripartite system was under assault for separating children too early. Some major reforms started. Under it, in 1965 the 11 Plus exam was abolished. 90% of all secondary schools admit children without reference to ability, they are much bigger than the schools of the tripartite system. The area from which a Comprehensive school takes its pupils is called a Catchment area.

Within each comprehensive school children may be grouped according to their ability for specific subjects (” sets ”) or according to their abilities & aptitudes (“ streams ”).

GCE O-level & CSEs were abolished & replaced with General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) taken at 16.

After GCSE exam children who want to continue education go to the Sixth Form to receive the GCE A-level. Advanced Supplementary level ( ASL ) exam was introduced for pupils who wish to study more than 2 or 3 subjects in the Sixth Form.

Another major step is a Centralization of Education: introduction of National Curriculum. Maths, English & Science form the core of the curriculum. Other foundation subjects are a foreign l-ge, technology, history, geography, art, music & physical education. Attainment targets are set for the three core subjects at the age of 7, 11, 14 & 16.

Together with the National Curriculum, a programme of Record of Achievement (REACH) was introduced. REACH is a programme which sets learning objectives for each term of the year in primary school & for each component on each subject in secondary school.

The National Curriculum also allows for flexibility. Flexibility means providing courses beyond foundation subjects.

There are 2 opposite attitudes towards the appearing of League Tables. The positive is that League Tables provide a list of schools starting from the best to the worst. The negative is that LT are being criticized, because they push children & parents to choose between schools as the result to promote in equality of schools & to provide social divide & prejudice.

Among drawbacks of the Reform I can name the following:

1. Huge schools with big classes easily go out of control as a result of this the appearance of discipline problems & poor academic performance at the GCSE exam.

2. most parents choose to send their children to free state schools financed from public funds, but an increasing number of pupils attend fee-paying independent schools.

3. independent schools are divided into public schools & preparatory schools. Public schools for centuries have prepared students academically for higher education. Prep.schools are boarding schools for children from 8 to 13.