English and Globalisation: A Personal Outlook - Essay Example

English and Globalisation: A personal outlook Introduction The notion of globalisation and English can be interpreted in various ways. It can refer to the rapid spread of the English language as a foreign or second language. It can also refer to the increasing use of the English language around world as a dominant communication medium in business, education, entertainment, sports and other socio-economic avenues. In addition to this, globalisation and English can refer to the intrusion of English into the lives of people around the world. This is a disturbing phenomenon that threatens to wipe out local and indigenous language. In socio-economic spheres, it favours those proficient in English and puts the non-English speaking individuals at a disadvantage (Pennycook, 2003; Claus & Frauke, 2006). In this paper, I will discuss my personal outlook and experience relating to English and globalization. The views presented in this paper will mainly reflect on “Policy and ideology in the spread of English” (Tellefson, 2000; Pennycook, 2003) and the notion of linguistic imperialism (Phillipson & Skutnabb-Kangas, 1996; Phillipson, 2006). Drawing on the views of the highlighted authors, I will reflect on my personal experience over the years with regards to learning English. In addition to this, I will discuss my outlook on English and globalisation and how it has affected me and those around me. Personal experiences relating to English and Globalisation As a result of Britain’s colonial conquests around the world, English has achieved the status of a global language. Tellefson (2000) observes that in many countries that have colonial histories linked to the United States and England, English is often considered as a formal language used in business communication, mass media, and education and government institutions. For decades, many non-English speaking countries have also adapted English as a medium of communication in business, training, education and other formal socio-economic avenues (Tam & Weiss, 2004). China is a non-English speaking country, where the most widely spoken languages is Mandarin spoken by over 70 % of the population. As a Chinese native, I grew up using Mandarin as the only medium of communication. All members in my family and the surrounding neighborhood were all non-English speakers. With time, my elder siblings joined community based adult ESL programs in a bid to learn English. In the community, we lived in English was gradually becoming a formal language used in business and higher education. Thus my siblings who were set to join higher education institutions found it crucial to learn English. This confirms the sentiments of Phillipson (2006) who observed that English is not a mere instrument of communication rather it is also serves other social functions. As a child, I always had a strong interest in learning English. My interest in learning English was largely inspired by the programs I saw on the Television. A number of these programs were very intriguing however, I could not understand what they were about because they were aired in English. What intrigued me to these programs was not the language used rather it was the aesthetics and themes projected in these programs. During my pre-school years, we were briefly introduced to English however Mandarin was used as the main language of instruction. However, as I progressed through primary education, in third grade learning English became compulsory. At first, it was challenging to learn the language, but with time I became familiar with some terms. I could read and write some basic terms but I could not communicate fluently in English. The classroom was the only avenue where I used English, after class most students communicated using Mandarin. Moreover, back at home, we only used Mandarin to communicate. As a result, it became difficult for me to communicate fluently in English since I had no avenues to practice apart from a few class sessions. The more I progressed through primary and high school education, learning to communicate in English became a necessity. Moreover, our teachers begun to use English as the main language of instruction in science subjects. Although other foreign languages such as French and Spanish were taught in our school, learning these languages was optional. This goes to show that English is by far the most taught foreign language and its proficiency is increasingly required (Phillipson, 2006). In the course of my studies, I encountered numerous challenges when learning English. As a result, I began to question the essence of learning English. I did not understand why so much emphasis was placed on learning a foreign language. With time, I began to understand that the world is increasingly becoming globalised in terms of people, cultural and economic relationships. Hence, there is need for common language of communication that unifies people around the world (Hui, 2001). It is worth questioning why English and not other languages has become a global language. Geographically, there are six continents which are habited by more English speakers than non-English speakers. For instance, Australia and North America have a bigger number of English speakers than any other continents (Phillipson, 1994). In Europe, a good number of the population is made up of English speakers. Asia, South America and Africa comprise of countries colonised by the British. As a result, the English culture and English language spread in these countries. In addition to this, Britain and the United States are the two major economically and politically powerful and influential countries. Their influence around the world has further heightened the use of English. It is thus evident that English is considered as a global language mainly because it is more geographically widespread than any other language (Hui, 2001). After doing Year 10 in China, we moved to Australia and I subsequently did my year 11 and 12 in a High School in Melbourne. Since then, I have made significant progress in communicating in English. I also gained substantial fluency when communicating in English. In the course of my undergraduate program, my English has improved drastically, I understand English completely and I can write and speak English fluently. As I reflect on my experience in learning English over the years, I have gained more understanding on the notion of English and globalisation. The sentiments of Carl Marx make more sense to me more than ever. Marx once said; “If you sing ‘The Internationale’ you will be able to find friends everywhere in the world”. I find that these sentiments to be very true especially when it comes to English and globalisation. As the world is continuously becoming globalised, it is essential for people to adapt to these trends by learning to communicate effectively in English so that they can be able to connect with people around for cultural and socio-economic purposes. Crystal (1997) observes that over 85 % of International organisations use English as the official language and over 85% of the film market around the world is in English. Similarly, Zai, Zheng and Zhang (1999) note that 80% of academic papers and scientific periodical are published in English. Moreover, the world’s largest broadcasters such as ABC, CNN, NBC, BBC, CBC and CBS among many others air English broadcasts. In addition to this, English is the main language used in sporting events such as Olympics and computer software and program instructions (Zai, Zheng & Zhang, 1999). Outlook on English and globalisation Personally, my outlook on English and globalisation is both positive and negative. On the positive side, I consider the notion of English and globalisation as the increasing use of the English language around world as a dominant communication medium in business, education, entertainment, sports and other socio-economic avenues (Phillipson, 2006). I strongly believe that as a global language, English has helped to unify the world. As a foreign student studying in Australia, I have experienced the benefits of learning English. Personally, learning English has enhanced my learning experience by enabling me to efficiently communicate with students and teachers from different cultures and races and exchange ideas. It has also enabled me to take advantage of various learning, training and employment opportunities. Phillipson & Skutnabb-Kangas (1996) observe that the use of English as a global language has helped to promote intercultural understanding and integration. Evidently, the emergence of English as a global language has also helped to enhance globalisation. Through the use of English as a common language of communication, individuals or organisations around the world can efficiently communicate and collaborate in the course of trade, business ventures, education and other socio-economic activities (Phillipson, 2006). The use of English as a global language for social purposes raises issues regarding language, identity and belonging. Apparently, the emergence of English as a global language has helped to bring about a sense of identity and belonging. According to Pennycook (2003) there are dynamic ways of looking at language use and identity. One way of looking at it is by considering the context in which the language is used and its intended purposes. For instance, Pennycook notes that, in Japan English has been hybrid with the Japanese language in a bid to create a sense of identity. On one hand, this has helped in the spread of English as a global language on the other hand, it interferes with the original structure and grammatical elements in the English language in the used context (Pennycook 2003). Conversely, on the negative side, I consider the notion of English and globalisation as the intrusion of English into the lives of people around the world. I believe that this is a disturbing phenomenon that threatens to wipe out local and indigenous language. I also regard this as a form of linguistic imperialism, since in the international market English is highly regarded than other languages. As a result, people who are proficient in English are favoured whereas the non-English speaking individuals are put at a disadvantage (Pennycook, 2003; Claus & Frauke, 2006). Drawing on the sentiments presented by Phillipson (2006) English has over the years developed and retained a dominant role around the globe. The dominance of English as a language is evident in linguistic policies and practices in educational institutions and other socio-economic spheres around the world. Phillipson (2006) notes that language policies used in the colonial era have largely remained unchanged even during the post colonial era. Consequently, post colonial education systems tend to give priority to English while marginalizing local or indigenous languages. Policies enacted tend to support language homogeneity rather than multilingualism (Phillipson, 2006). Besides, diminishing local and indigenous languages, English and globalisation has to some extent brought about cultural imperialism. As Phillipson (2006) observes, English is not a mere instrument of communication rather it is also serves other social functions. For instance, the increasing use of English in mainland China, has been linked to cultural orientations of global consciousness. This is a good thing although there has been growing concern that the localization of English language teaching will bring about influences from the western cultures. As a result, Chinese educators and policy makers, especially in educational spheres have tried to counter influences from the western cultures through language by minimizing western cultural contents in English course materials (Tam & Weiss, 2004). Personally, I think that, to some extent English and globalisation contribute to linguistic and cultural imperialism. I feel that it is necessary for educators and policy makers in education systems to institute policies and practices that promote multilingualism rather than the dominance of languages such as English. Conclusion In this paper, I have discussed my personal outlook and experience relating to English and globalization. I have reflected on my personal experience over the years with regards to learning English and discussed my outlook on English and globalisation and how it has affected me and those around me. Based on the findings depicted in this paper, it is evident that over time, English has achieved the status of a global language. As a result, learning English has become a necessity even for people living in non-English speaking countries, it is important to learn English so as to adapt to the increasing trends of globalisation. Nevertheless, the spread of English as a global language has to some extent led to linguistic and cultural imperialism. As a result, I recommend that educators and policy makers should institute policies and practices that promote multilingualism rather than the dominance of languages such as English. References Claus, G. & Frauke, I. (2006). ‘The Globalization of English and the English Language Classroom’. English Language Teaching Journal 60(2): 204-206. Crystal, D. (1997). English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hui, D. (2001). ‘The globalisation of the English language: Reflections on the teaching of English in China’. International Education Journal 2(4): 126-133. Pennycook, A . (2003). Global Englishes, Rip Slyme and performativity. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 7(4):513-533. Phillipson, R. & Skutnabb-Kangas, R. (1996). ‘English only world-wide or language ecology?’ TESOL Quarterly, 30(3): 429-452. Phillipson, R. (2006). Language policy and linguistic imperialism. In T Ricento (Ed) An introduction to language policy: Theory and method. Oxford: Blackwell, 346-361. Phillipson, R. (2008). The linguistic imperialism of neoliberal empire. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies 5(1): 1-43 Tam, K. & Weiss, T. (2004). English and Globalization: Perspectives from Hong Kong and Mainland China. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. Tollefson, J. (2000). ‘Policy and ideology in the spread of English’, in The sociopolitics of English language teaching, J, Hall & W, Eggington (Eds), Clevedon, Great Britain: Multilingual Matters, pp. 7-21. Zai, J. Zheng, S. & Zhang, J. (1999). 21st Century College English. Beijing, Shanghai: Higher Education Press. Read More

However, as I progressed through primary education, in third grade learning English became compulsory. At first, it was challenging to learn the language, but with time I became familiar with some terms. I could read and write some basic terms but I could not communicate fluently in English. The classroom was the only avenue where I used English, after class most students communicated using Mandarin. Moreover, back at home, we only used Mandarin to communicate. As a result, it became difficult for me to communicate fluently in English since I had no avenues to practice apart from a few class sessions.

The more I progressed through primary and high school education, learning to communicate in English became a necessity. Moreover, our teachers begun to use English as the main language of instruction in science subjects. Although other foreign languages such as French and Spanish were taught in our school, learning these languages was optional. This goes to show that English is by far the most taught foreign language and its proficiency is increasingly required (Phillipson, 2006). In the course of my studies, I encountered numerous challenges when learning English.

As a result, I began to question the essence of learning English. I did not understand why so much emphasis was placed on learning a foreign language. With time, I began to understand that the world is increasingly becoming globalised in terms of people, cultural and economic relationships. Hence, there is need for common language of communication that unifies people around the world (Hui, 2001). It is worth questioning why English and not other languages has become a global language. Geographically, there are six continents which are habited by more English speakers than non-English speakers.

For instance, Australia and North America have a bigger number of English speakers than any other continents (Phillipson, 1994). In Europe, a good number of the population is made up of English speakers. Asia, South America and Africa comprise of countries colonised by the British. As a result, the English culture and English language spread in these countries. In addition to this, Britain and the United States are the two major economically and politically powerful and influential countries.

Their influence around the world has further heightened the use of English. It is thus evident that English is considered as a global language mainly because it is more geographically widespread than any other language (Hui, 2001). After doing Year 10 in China, we moved to Australia and I subsequently did my year 11 and 12 in a High School in Melbourne. Since then, I have made significant progress in communicating in English. I also gained substantial fluency when communicating in English.

In the course of my undergraduate program, my English has improved drastically, I understand English completely and I can write and speak English fluently. As I reflect on my experience in learning English over the years, I have gained more understanding on the notion of English and globalisation. The sentiments of Carl Marx make more sense to me more than ever. Marx once said; “If you sing ‘The Internationale’ you will be able to find friends everywhere in the world”. I find that these sentiments to be very true especially when it comes to English and globalisation.

As the world is continuously becoming globalised, it is essential for people to adapt to these trends by learning to communicate effectively in English so that they can be able to connect with people around for cultural and socio-economic purposes. Crystal (1997) observes that over 85 % of International organisations use English as the official language and over 85% of the film market around the world is in English. Similarly, Zai, Zheng and Zhang (1999) note that 80% of academic papers and scientific periodical are published in English.

Moreover, the world’s largest broadcasters such as ABC, CNN, NBC, BBC, CBC and CBS among many others air English broadcasts.

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