Why has English developed as a world language?

Summary

The widespread use of English as a global language is attributed to two key factors: the expansion of the British Empire in the 17th to 19th centuries and the rise of the United States as a global economic power in the 20th century. English spread through colonization, leading to varieties like American and Indian English. Today, English dominates international organizations, scientific publications, and media. With around 2 billion speakers globally, non-native speakers outnumber native speakers by a ratio of 4:1, highlighting the language's growing significance worldwide.

Takeaways

• 🌍 English is widely used as a global common language.
• 📜 The global spread of English stems from two main factors: the expansion of the British Empire and the rise of the U.S. as a global power.
• 🗺️ The first phase of English spread started in the 17th century with migrations from England, Scotland, and Ireland to places like North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
• 🇺🇸 This led to the development of mother tongue English varieties, such as American and Australian English, with differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.
• 🌐 The second phase occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries with British colonization in Africa and Asia, leading to new English dialects, like Indian English and Singaporean English.
• 🏛️ The spread of English was further boosted by the rise of the United States as a world economic and political power in the 20th century.
• 📊 English plays a major role in international organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
• 🎥 English dominates global culture, with most of the top 100 highest-grossing films being in English.
• 🧬 English is the dominant language of science, with 80% of scientific journals published in English.
• 📈 It is estimated that there are around 2 billion English speakers worldwide, with 400 million native speakers and 1.6 billion non-native speakers.

Q & A

What is the primary reason behind English being used as a world common language?

The primary reason behind English being used as a world common language is the historical expansion of the British Empire and the emergence of the United States as a global economic power in the 20th century.

What are the two main phases of the British Empire's expansion that contributed to the spread of English?

The two main phases are: 1) the 17th-century migration of English speakers to North America, Australia, and New Zealand, leading to the development of American English and other varieties, and 2) the 18th- and 19th-century colonization of Africa and Asia, resulting in the development of second language varieties of English, such as Indian English and Singaporean English.

How did the English dialects that traveled with migrants evolve?

The English dialects that traveled with migrants evolved into distinct mother tongue varieties of English, such as American English and Australian English, with differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.

What is the term used to describe the second language varieties of English that developed in countries colonized by Britain?

The term used to describe these second language varieties of English is 'New Englishes'.

How did the United States' emergence as a world power impact the global status of English?

The United States' emergence as a world power in the 20th century propelled the further spread of English, solidifying its status as a global language.

In what areas can the dominance of English be observed today?

The dominance of English can be observed in various areas such as being the main official language of international organizations, the language of the majority of the highest-grossing films, and the common language of science.

What percentage of scientific journals are published in English according to the script?

It is estimated that about 80% of scientific journals are published in English.

Why is English taught as a second or foreign language in most countries?

English is taught as a second or foreign language in most countries due to its dominant role as a global lingua franca, which facilitates international communication and access to information.

How does the script estimate the number of English speakers worldwide?

The script estimates that there are about 2 billion English speakers worldwide, with 400 million being native speakers and 1.6 billion being non-native speakers.

What is the ratio of non-native to native English speakers according to David Crystal's estimate?

According to David Crystal's estimate, non-native English speakers outnumber native English speakers by a ratio of 4:1.

Why is it difficult to determine the exact number of English speakers in the world?

It is difficult to determine the exact number of English speakers because it is challenging to define who should be counted as an English speaker given the wide range of English proficiency levels.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Global Rise of English

This paragraph introduces the global dominance of English as a common language, emphasizing that this status is due to two main factors: the expansion of the British Empire in the 17th to 19th centuries and the rise of the United States as a world economic power in the 20th century.

🚢 British Empire’s Expansion and Spread of English

The focus here is on the British Empire’s expansion, which occurred in two phases. The first phase involved the large-scale migration of English speakers to North America, Australia, and New Zealand, where distinct varieties of English developed (e.g., American English, Australian English). The second phase saw the colonization of Africa and Asia, leading to the development of second-language varieties of English, known as 'New Englishes,' such as Indian English and Singaporean English.

🇺🇸 The Role of America in English’s Global Dominance

This section discusses how the global prominence of English is largely attributed to the rise of the United States as a political and economic powerhouse in the 20th century. It highlights how English became the main official language of several international organizations and dominated global pop culture, including cinema and scientific publications.

📚 English as a Global Second Language

English's dominance as a global language is further reinforced by its widespread teaching as a second or foreign language. The paragraph touches on the complexity of determining how many people speak English due to varying levels of proficiency. David Crystal estimates around 2 billion English speakers globally, with 400 million native speakers and 1.6 billion non-native speakers, meaning non-native speakers now outnumber natives by a 4:1 ratio.

Keywords

💡World common language

This term refers to a language that is widely used for communication across different nations and cultures. In the video, English is described as the 'world common language,' meaning it is a global means of communication, largely due to historical events such as the expansion of the British Empire and the rise of the United States as a global power.

💡British Empire

The British Empire was a global empire that reached its height between the 17th and 19th centuries. The video explains that the expansion of the British Empire played a critical role in spreading English across its colonies, influencing the development of various forms of English, including both native and second-language varieties.

💡United States of America

The United States emerged as a global economic and political power in the 20th century, which further propelled English into global dominance. The video highlights the U.S.'s role in cementing English as a 'world common language,' influencing sectors like international organizations, science, and entertainment.

💡Migrations

Migrations refer to the large-scale movement of people from one region to another. The video discusses how English-speaking migrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland settled in regions like North America, Australia, and New Zealand during the 17th century, leading to the development of different English dialects.

💡Mother tongue varieties

This term refers to the original, native forms of a language spoken by its native speakers. In the video, 'mother tongue varieties' of English include American English and Australian English, which evolved from the English spoken by settlers who migrated from the British Isles.

💡Second language varieties

Second language varieties refer to forms of English that developed in regions where English is spoken as a second language. The video uses examples such as Indian English and Singaporean English, which arose as a result of British colonialism in Africa and Asia during the 18th and 19th centuries.

💡New Englishes

'New Englishes' is a term used to describe the localized varieties of English that have developed in former British colonies, such as Indian English and Singaporean English. These varieties often incorporate elements of local languages and are shaped by the unique cultural contexts in which they are spoken.

💡Scientific journals

Scientific journals are publications dedicated to research and scholarship in various scientific fields. The video notes that approximately 80% of scientific journals today are published in English, further underscoring the dominant role of English in global science and academia.

💡David Crystal

David Crystal is a well-known linguist who has studied and written extensively about the English language. In the video, his estimate that there are around 2 billion English speakers worldwide is mentioned, which includes both native and non-native speakers.

💡Non-native English speakers

Non-native English speakers are individuals who learn and use English as a second or foreign language. The video emphasizes that non-native speakers of English now outnumber native speakers by a ratio of 4:1, highlighting the global spread and significance of English.

Highlights

English is used as a world common language.

The status of English is primarily the result of two main factors: the expansion of the British Empire and the emergence of the United States as an economic power.

The expansion of the British Empire occurred in two main phases.

The first phase began in the 17th century with large-scale migrations of English speakers to North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

These migrations led to the development of mother tongue varieties of English, such as American and Australian English, with differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.

The second phase took place in the 18th and 19th centuries when Britain expanded its colonies in Africa and Asia.

Colonization led to the development of many second-language varieties of English, often called New Englishes, like Indian and Singaporean English.

The two phases of the British Empire's expansion laid the foundation for the further spread of English.

The emergence of the United States as the world’s political and economic power further propelled the spread of English.

America's dominance since the 20th century has played a significant role in the widespread use of English today.

English is a main official language of several international organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

Most of the top 100 highest-grossing films worldwide are in English.

Approximately 80% of scientific journals are published in English, making it a common language of science.

English is taught as a second or foreign language in most countries across the world.

David Crystal estimates there are about 2 billion English speakers worldwide, with 1.6 billion being non-native speakers, outnumbering native speakers by a ratio of 4:1.

Transcripts

Today English is used as a world common language. And this status of English is primarily the

result of two main factors. The first is the expansion of British Empire between the 17th

and 19th century. The second is the emergence of the United States of America as the World

economic power in the 20th century. Let's look at the first factor, which is the expansion

of the British Empire. This consists of two main phases. The first phase started from

the 17th century when large scale of migrations of English speakers from England, Scotland,

Ireland to North America, Australia, and the New Zealand took place. And the English dialects,

which travelled with these migrants gradually developed into the mother tongue varieties

of English. Such as American English, and Australian English with differences in, for

example, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. The second phase took place during the 18th

and 19th centuries when Britain expanded its colonies in Africa and Asia. This colonisation

led to the development of many second language varieties of English. Or what is often called

New Englishes, such as Indian English and Singaporean English. These two phases of the

expansion of the British Empire built a foundation for the further spread of English, which was

propelled by the emergence of the United States of America as the world political and economic

power. The dominant role of English today can largely

be explained by the dominant role which America has been playing since the 20th century. And

this dominance can be seen in many different areas. For example, English is a main official

language of a number of international organisations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade

Organisation. And if we look up a list of the highest grossing films in the world,

we'll probably noticed that most of the top 100 films are in English. English is also

a common language of science. It is estimated that about 80% of scientific journals are

now published in English. Given this dominant role of English, it is

understandable and predictable that English is now taught as a second or foreign language

in most countries across the world. And this fact might make you wonder how many people

in the world speak English today. This is actually a very difficult question to answer

because it is hard to define who should be counted as English speakers when there are

so many people with different English proficiency levels. However, David Crystal roughly estimates

that there are about 2 billion English speakers in the world, of which 400 million are native

English speakers. And 1.6 billion are non native English speakers. This means that now,

non native English speakers outnumber native English speakers by a ratio of 4:1.