More than 1 billion people are believed to speak some form of English. For every native speaker, there are at least three non-native speakers. English has become the universal language of business and commerce. Jacques Chirac, a former president of France, famously walked out of a 2006 EU meeting because someone, a fellow Frenchman, insisted on speaking English “because that is the language of business”. English, it seems, has even invaded football pitches. The Brazilian referee for the recent England-United States match at the FIFA World Cup reportedly studied a lexicon of English-language obscenities.
With so many people using English, we wonder whether it is time to streamline English spelling. Might it make communication easier? Would it help avoid confusion? The Australians, rather maddeningly, spell “labour” as the British do, but their Labor Party is spelt without a “u”. Should the world adopt American English or British English? “Center” or “centre”? “Favorite” or “favourite”? “Defense” and “offense” or “defence” and “offence”?
The ever-growing global spread of English, in general, has no visible barrier in sight. The advantages of streamlining international communication by making it more uniform (and thus more reliable) would feed this surge. At each point of adoption, a decision has to be made: What flavour of English do we use? In the days of the British empire, this decision was made for the new speakers, but in the present time, new adopters have a choice, one independent of history and past cultural ties. American English’s time has arrived. It is not just in critical areas of communication (such as airline radio communications) that uniformity is an advantage.
In this lesson learn about the English language, the American usage of English, basic facts about the language and why American English is muscular and flexible, not insular.
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It is estimated that more than 840 million people speak English as a first or second language, which makes it the second most-spoken language right after Mandarin. It is an official language of a whopping 67 countries as well as 27 non-sovereign entities such as Hong Kong or Puerto Rico.
Quiz on basic facts about Engish!
American English has the full confidence of an established, independent literary language, something it perhaps lacked before the first world war. Mark Twain was the wellspring for this, later bolstered by William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. It provides a superb medium for the novelist, essayist, journalist and poet.
Test your knowledge on Known Issues about English
Speaking the same language, as the history of American English itself amply confirms, can, however, be highly contentious.
Test your knowledge on Possible Solutions about English
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Today, the English language is the common language in the spheres of business, finance, education, media, politics and even sports.
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Quiz on video related to the English language
Essay based on what you have learnt
