English as a Global Language

People began to speak many centuries ago, and since then they have been speaking different languages. Every language reflects the soul, behaviour and temperament of each nationality. Peoples created their own alphabets and rules, but they always wanted to communicate with each other, to understand and to know more about each other.

Languages help people to understand each other better, they help them to solve different economic and political problems, which stand before them, and so people learn foreign languages.

All languages are different. Some are very hard, some are easier, some are similar, but there are no identical languages in the whole world. There are more than 2,700 languages in the world. Many of them are "alive" because people use them, but there are some "dead" languages, for example Latin.

What does a Global Language mean? It means a common language for the world. Having such a status, the global language has to be of great importance, influencing all the domains of the human activity in the world. For example, English dominates every field such as the media, foreign language teaching, business, etc. English can be called an international language because of its simple and wide use already.

The thinning of national borders due to globalization has made English a global communication tool. In one way or the other, every language is a pathway to understand its parent culture, because each language contains the unconscious assumption of that culture. This certainly is true of English which provides us an opportunity to know the culture that it generally represents. This we learn through various media including stories/fiction, movies, and so on.

While English is not an official language in most countries, it is currently the language most often taught as a second language around the world. However, now English is spoken practically all over the world. It is spoken as a mother tongue in Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Besides, a lot of people speak English in Japan, India, China, Africa and many other countries.

Facts:

- Over one billion people speak English. That's almost one fifth of the world's population.

- For over 400 million it's their first language.

- For the other 600 million it's either a second language or a foreign language.

Two thousands years ago, Latin was the world's most important international language. Today this title belongs to English. English is the language of pop-culture, of tourism, of markets, of the Internet and trade. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organizations. Nearly half of all business deals in Europe are conducted in English. It is the language of sports and glamour: the official language of the Olympics and the Miss Universe Competition. The largest broadcasting companies in the world (CBS, NBS, ABC, BBC) transmit in English to audiences that regularly exceed one hundred million.

Facts:

- Half of the world's technical and scientific literature is in English.

- English is the medium for 80 per cent of the information stored in the world's computers.

Several people speak English with their friends, and people get introduced to each other most often in English. English encompasses more than just a convenient means of communication among people around the world.

Facts:

- Over half of all personal letters/sms/E-mails are also written in English.

English language is a wonderful language. It's the language of the great literature. It's the language of William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and others.

4. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What are language functions?

2. How many languages are there in the world?

3. What requirements should global language meet?

4. How many people speak English as their first language, a second language or a foreign language?

5. What was the world’s most important international language 2 thousand years ago?

6. What events are held in English?

7. Name famous English poets and writers. Can you add any other names?

5. Расскажите о месте английского языка в современном мире (2 минуты). Сначала еще раз просмотрите текст English as a Global Language, найдите и запишите информацию, касающуюся следующих вопросо в: 1) who speaks English; 2) in what domains English is used; 3) English as an international language

Используйте эти слова и фразы: Firstly/first of all, secondly, thirdly; For instance/for example; In short; In conclusion/To sum up.

2. Подумайте, по какой причине вы хотите изучать английский язык. Объясните, почему вы выбрали именно эти причины (можно с помощью примеров из вашей жизни). Затем расспросите других студентов об их причинах изучения английского языка, используя вопросы и фразы: What/how about you?; Sorry, I couldn’t hear what you said. /Sorry – could you say that again, please? /Could you repeat that, please?

Unit 2

Date: 2015-09-24; view: 909; Нарушение авторских прав