Activity 1.3 – English as a Global Language (EGL).
Warm up group discussion. Working in groups, please, discuss and answer the following questions:
1. What is a global language?
A widely learnt and spoken language, that is, a language spoken and learnt by a large number of people as a second language. And also a language which is used by international organizations.
According to David Crystal, "a language achieves a genuinely global status when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country. This role will be most obvious in countries where large numbers of the people speak it as a first language.
1.1 Is it the same as a “lingua franca”?
It is in so much as it allows the creation of bridges between communities, nations, cultures and peoples who do not share the same native language. Thus, is a tool that unites this globalised world and is of special interest in the field of economics, politics, diplomacy and administration as well as a tool of social cohesion.
2. Do you think that English can be considered as a “lingua franca”?
Indeed. Actually, English is the language that more easily comes to mind when talking about global languages and examples of lingua franca. It does tick all the boxes in the definition of what a lingua franca is at it is used internationally to build bridges between communities. It is widely used in the economic field to facilitate the trade between people who do not share the same native language, thus demolishing all communicative barriers. It is also the main language employed in the diplomatic sphere, having an essential role in international organisations such as the UN or the EU.
3. Name other languages, from present or past times, which you think are, or were, global languages.
No other language in the history of humanity has ever held such a globalised role as that of Latin which was used through the centuries as a communicative tool uniting half the world. This responded to the hegemonic power of the Roman empire. Other global languages might include French, although to a lesser extent, during the Norman Invasion of 1066 but especially during the Colonialist era of the 19th and 20th centuries.
4. In your opinion, what factors make a language become a global language?
A high number of speakers worldwide but most importantly the use made by economic and political powers. It is also worth mentioning that global languages throughout history arose as a means to record culture and knowledge and also to spread that knowledge to the world.
Activity 2.3- ENGLISH VARIETIES.
1. What English varieties can you think of?
When talking about English varieties it is virtually impossible to list all of them due to the countless varieties and subvarieties existing across the Globe. Nonetheless, there are some varieties that powerfully come to mind when acknowledging the richness of the English language. These include:
- British English: and some varities such as RP English, Welsh, Scottish, South Western, Cockney, Brummie, Scouse, Geordie...
-American English: GAP, Southern American English, Black Vernacular...
- Irish
- Indian
- Jamaican
- South African
- Australian
- Etc.
2. Provide a brief account of the main differences between British and American English.
There are countless differences between British and American English and they are of different natures. These include:
a) Pronunciation differences:
- The R being rolled in American English and usually voiceless in British English.
- The pronunciation of the letter T between vowels in America and the tendency to unvoice it in British English.
b) Spellings:
- ou vs o in words such as colour/color, neighbour/neighbor
- s and z in suffixes including -ise/ize, -sation/zation... e.g. organisation/organization
c) Some words such as garbage (AM) vs rubbish (BR), lift (BR) vs elevator (AM), make out (AM) vs get off (BR)...
d) A more melodic intonation in British English as well as a more purist attitude towards language.
e) Etc.
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