Why Did English Become the International Language?

Summary

This video explores how English became the global lingua franca, tracing its rise from the British Empire's colonial expansion to the United States' emergence as a superpower. It discusses the influence of English in commerce, diplomacy, and academia, and how mass communication and globalization have cemented its status. Despite the growth of other languages, English's dominance is expected to continue, with over a billion non-native speakers worldwide.

Takeaways

• 🌏 English is the global lingua franca, used extensively in commerce, diplomacy, air traffic control, and academia, as well as being the primary language on the internet for international communication.
• 🏰 The establishment of English as a global language began with the British Empire's colonization efforts in the 16th century, which spread English to various parts of the world.
• 🇺🇸 The United States' role as a global superpower, particularly after WWII, significantly contributed to the spread and dominance of English, especially through military presence and economic influence.
• 🎥 American cultural exports, such as movies, TV, and music, have played a crucial role in popularizing the English language worldwide through mass media.
• 📚 English has become a part of school curriculums in many countries as a second language, reflecting its growing importance and the need for proficiency in global communication.
• 🔬 The decline of the USSR and the dominance of English in scientific publications, with over 96% of articles written in English, has further cemented its status as the language of science.
• 🌐 Globalization and the internet have accelerated the spread of English, making it the top language online and a constant presence in global interactions.
• 👥 Despite not all people speaking English fluently, there are approximately 360 million native speakers and over a billion who speak it as a second language.
• 🔮 While nothing is guaranteed forever, English is expected to remain the international language for the foreseeable future due to its entrenched global presence.
• 🇨🇳 The rise of Mandarin as an international language is unlikely due to China's isolation from the global internet and media, limiting its cultural influence.
• 🗣️ English's ease of use for travelers is evident, though its effectiveness may vary depending on the location and the local population's familiarity with the language.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the Langfocus channel video?

The main topic of the video is to explain why English became the international language.

Why is English considered the global lingua franca?

English is considered the global lingua franca because it is the language of global commerce, international diplomacy, air traffic control, and the majority of academic journals, as well as being the most common language on the internet.

What role did the United States play in the spread of English as a global language?

The United States, as a global superpower, played a significant role in spreading English, especially after World War II, when it developed fully into a world superpower and its economic, political, and military influence spread worldwide.

How did the British Empire contribute to the spread of English?

The British Empire contributed by establishing extensive overseas colonies in the 16th to 18th centuries, which included parts of India, Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States, thus spreading the English language globally.

What were the effects of the 7 Years War on the spread of English in North America?

The 7 Years War resulted in the British gaining control over areas that were previously part of New France, which had been colonized by the French, thus extending the reach of the English language.

How did the presence of German-speaking immigrants in the United States impact the use of English?

German was the second most widely spoken language in the United States for a long time, but its use declined during the First World War due to the stigma of being associated with Germany, which helped English to become the dominant language.

In what ways did the British Empire continue to expand after American independence?

After American independence, the British Empire continued to expand by establishing colonies in larger areas of the Indian subcontinent, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East after the First World War.

Why did English surpass French as the language of diplomacy in the 20th century?

English began to surpass French as the language of diplomacy due to the increasing economic and political influence of the United States, especially after World War I, when the Treaty of Versailles was written in both French and English.

How did mass communication and media contribute to the global spread of English?

Advancements in technology gave rise to mass communication and media, with American movies, TV shows, and music spreading worldwide, exposing people globally to the English language and making it more accessible.

What impact did the Cold War and the USSR have on the status of English as a global language?

During the Cold War, Russian was the lingua franca in the USSR and a language of science, but the decline and collapse of the USSR led to a decline in Russian's influence, allowing English to become the dominant language in science and global communication.

How has globalization and the internet affected the status of English as a global language?

Globalization and the internet have solidified English's position as a global language by increasing interactions among people worldwide and exposing them to English online, with English being the number one language used on the internet.

What is the current status of Mandarin in becoming an international language, considering China's growing influence?

Despite China's growing influence, Mandarin is unlikely to become the international language soon due to China's isolation from the global internet and social media, which limits its cultural influence on the rest of the world.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 The Rise of English as a Global Lingua Franca

This paragraph discusses the factors that contributed to English becoming the international language. It starts with the introduction of the Langfocus channel and the question of why English is the global lingua franca. The script explains the historical expansion of the British Empire, which spread English to various parts of the world. It also touches on the influence of other colonial languages like Spanish and French. The rise of the United States as a global superpower, particularly after World War II, is highlighted as a significant factor in English's dominance. The paragraph also mentions the role of mass communication and media in popularizing English, as well as the decline of Russian as a lingua franca due to the collapse of the USSR. Finally, it addresses the impact of globalization and the internet on solidifying English's status as a global language.

05:02

🌐 The Current State and Future of English as the International Language

The second paragraph delves into the current status of English as the international language and contemplates its future. It emphasizes the widespread use of English on the internet and its role as a lingua franca for communication among people from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The script acknowledges that while not everyone speaks English fluently, there are approximately 360 million native speakers and over a billion who speak it as a second language. It questions the permanence of English's dominance and considers the unlikely possibility of Mandarin or Esperanto replacing it. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their experiences with English and their thoughts on its global reach, while also expressing gratitude to the channel's supporters.

Keywords

💡Lingua Franca

A 'lingua franca' is a language that is adopted as a common means of communication between speakers of different native languages. In the video, it is explained as the most common language on the internet and the one used by international travelers to communicate, highlighting its role as a bridge between diverse linguistic communities.

💡Global Superpower

A 'global superpower' refers to a nation with significant influence or authority on a global scale, often characterized by economic, military, and political strength. The script mentions the United States' role as a global superpower as a contributing factor to English's status as the international language.

💡Colonies

In the context of the video, 'colonies' are territories under the control of another country, often established through exploration and conquest. The script discusses how the British Empire's establishment of colonies around the world helped spread the English language.

💡British Empire

The 'British Empire' was the largest empire in history, covering about a quarter of the earth's land area at its height. The video explains how the British Empire's extensive colonial reach facilitated the global spread of the English language.

💡Diplomacy

Diplomacy refers to the practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of states. The script notes that English is the main language of international diplomacy, emphasizing its importance in global political communication.

💡Air Traffic Control

Air traffic control is the service provided for the safe, orderly, and expeditious guidance of aircraft in the air and on airports. The video mentions English as the language of air traffic control, illustrating its role in ensuring global aviation safety.

💡Academic Journals

Academic journals are periodicals that contain articles written by scholars and researchers, typically peer-reviewed. The script points out that the majority of academic journals are in English, indicating its significance in scholarly communication.

💡Mass Communication

Mass communication refers to the process of disseminating information through various media to a large audience. The video discusses how advancements in technology and mass communication, such as American movies, TV, and music, have helped spread the English language globally.

💡Globalization

Globalization is the process of increased interconnectedness and interdependence among countries. The script explains that globalization has solidified English's position as a global language, as people from all over the world interact more and rely on a common lingua franca.

💡Internet

The 'internet' is a global system of interconnected computer networks that provides a platform for various forms of electronic communication. The video highlights that English is the most common language on the internet, contributing to its status as a global lingua franca.

💡USSR and Cold War

The 'USSR' refers to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the 'Cold War' was a period of geopolitical tension between the USSR and the United States. The script mentions the USSR as a historical obstacle to English's dominance, with Russian being the lingua franca in many of its member states during the Cold War.

💡Scientific Articles

Scientific articles are formal writings that present the results of research. The video states that over 96% of scientific articles are written in English, demonstrating its prevalence in the academic and scientific world.

💡Esperanto

Esperanto is a constructed international auxiliary language intended to be easy to learn and politically neutral. The script briefly dismisses Esperanto as a potential international language, suggesting it has not gained the widespread adoption that English has.

Highlights

English is the de facto global lingua franca used in global commerce, international diplomacy, air traffic control, and academic journals.

The internet and communication among international travelers commonly use English as a lingua franca.

The status of English is partly due to the USA's role as a global superpower, but the British Empire's earlier colonization efforts set the stage.

By the end of the 18th century, the British Empire had extensive colonies, contributing to English's spread.

Other colonial powers like France, Spain, and the Netherlands also contributed to the spread of European languages, but English became dominant in the USA.

German was once the second most widely spoken language in the USA but declined due to anti-German sentiment during WWI.

The British Empire's continued colonization efforts after American independence further spread English globally.

In 1922, the British Empire covered a significant portion of the earth and housed about 1/5 of the world's population.

English became the dominant language in some former British colonies, while in others, it served as a prestige language and lingua franca.

English, along with Spanish and French, became one of the main colonial languages, setting the stage for a global lingua franca.

English began to surpass French as a diplomatic language after WWI, with the Treaty of Versailles written in both languages.

Post-WWII, the USA's rise as a world superpower and its military presence in Europe cemented English's role as a global lingua franca.

American cultural exports like movies, TV, and music contributed to the spread of English through mass communication.

The inclusion of English as a second language in school curricula worldwide increased its prevalence.

The decline of the USSR and Russian influence led to English becoming the dominant language of science.

Globalization and the internet have solidified English's position as a global language, with over 96% of scientific articles written in English.

English's reach as a global language is attributed to its historical spread through the British Empire and the USA's subsequent rise.

There are approximately 360 million native English speakers and over a billion who speak it as a second language.

English is expected to remain the international language for the foreseeable future, despite the rise of other languages.

China's internet and media isolation may limit Mandarin's potential as an international language, despite China's growing influence.

Esperanto is unlikely to become an international language.

The video concludes with a question about viewers' experiences with English and an invitation to comment and follow Langfocus.

Transcripts

Hello everyone.

Welcome to the Langfocus channel, and my name is Po-ru.

“Why did English become the international language?”

- That is the question we're going to answer today.

English is the de facto global lingua franca.

It is the language of global commerce, the main language of international diplomacy,

the language of air traffic control, and the majority of of academic journals.

Maybe most importantly for us, it's the most common language on the internet, and it's

the language that international travellers with different native languages use to communicate

(the very definition of a lingua franca).

But how did English reach this kind of status?

Well, it's partly because of the United States of America's role as a global superpower.

But the scene was set earlier than that.

In the 16th century England started to establish overseas colonies, and by the end of the 18th

century the British Empire had grown quite extensive, with colonies in a few parts of

India and Africa, in the Caribbean, Canada, and what was to become the United States.

The British were not the only ones establishing colonies, of course.

Much of present day Canada and the US was part of New France, a large area that had

been colonized by the French.

But these areas were lost to the British during the 7 years war.

Much of what is now the southern and western United States was colonized by the Spanish,

but these areas were taken in wars with Spain and later Mexico.

The Dutch had also colonized the area of New Netherland, but it was lost to the British

in the late 17th century.

There were also non-British immigrants to the British colonies, for example German speaking

immigrants.

For a long part of the USA's history, German was its second most widely spoken language.

It declined in use during the first world war, because of the stigma of being associated

with Germany.

So while there were numerous languages spoken by settlers, English became the dominant language

in the United States.

*****

The British kept on establishing colonies after American independence, including much

larger areas of the Indian subcontinent and Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and after

the first world war – in the Middle East.

including colonies on the Indian subcontinent, in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and

after the first world war in the Middle East.

In 1922 the British Empire covered almost a quarter of the earth, and about 1/5 of the

world's population.

Some of these countries became populated by English settlers, and these are the countries

where English became the dominant language, replacing many others.

Other countries were not populated by permanent settlers, only by administrative, military,

and commercial personnel.

In some of these countries, English did not become the single dominant language, but became

a prestige language and a convenient lingua franca that could facilitate communication

between linguistically diverse populations.

English was not the only colonial language gaining a foothold throughout the world.

But along with Spanish, and French it was one of the main ones, and its hard to imagine

a language other than one of these becoming the global lingua franca.

Through the 19th century it was French, but English began to surpass French in the 20th

century.

By the time of the First World War, the United States had become a strong economic power,

and its role in the war increased its political influence in Europe.

After the war, the Treaty of Versailles was written not only in French, but also in English.

This signalled the start of English as a language of diplomacy.

But it was after WWII when English really began to develop into the main global lingua

franca as the United States developed more fully into a world superpower.

This is partly because after the war, the United States' military maintained a presence

in Europe to assist in reconstruction efforts, which greatly increased its international

influence.

And this didn't stop with Europe: American economic, political, and military influence

over much of the world has been the reality for decades.

As the United States grew in power, advancements in technology gave rise to mass communication

and media.

American movies, tv, and music spread throughout the world, exposing regular people to the

English language.

Rather than being just the lingua franca of international business people and diplomats,

you can now stay at a youth hostel and communicate with most of the other travellers in English.

This is largely thanks to mass communication, as well as English as a second language classes

now being a part of the school curriculum in many countries.

This is something that increased in response to the growing importance of English.

One the last remaining obstacles to English truly becoming the world language was the

USSR during the Cold War.

Russian was the lingua franca in most of the USSR's member states.

And scientific articles during that time were written mainly in either English or Russian.

But the decline and ultimate collapse of the USSR resulted in a decline in Russian as a

lingua franca and language of science.

Today, over 96% of scientific articles are written in English.

In the past couple of decades, globalization has solidified the position of English as

a global language, with people from all over the world interacting with each other more,

and relying on the global lingua franca.

On top of that, the internet has accelerated that trend.

English is the number 1 language online, and people from all over the world are constantly

exposed to English online, and communicate via social media with people from all over

the world, mainly in English.

All you have to do is take one look at the comments on this channel, and you'll see that

English functions as the lingua franca of much of the internet.

So in short, the reach of the British Empire brought English to all 4 corners of the globe,

and the rise of America built upon that momentum.

And as the world has gotten smaller due to technology and globalization, English has

become a truly global language.

Does everyone speak English well?

No of course not.

But on top of the roughly 360 million native speakers of English, there are over a billion

who speak it as a second language.

Some people say as many as 2 billion people around the world speak English, I guess depending

on what level of proficiency we include.

Will English be the international language forever?

Well, forever is very absolute world.

Nothing lasts forever.

But it seems that English will be the international language for the forseeable future.

Will Mandarin become the international language since China is growing in influence?

I doubt it.

China exists in a bubble, cut off from the rest of the internet and social media world.

They basically have their own separate world online and their own separate media, and this

limits the amount of cultural influence China will have on the rest of the world.

I think that people in China will continue to learn English to communicate with the rest

of the world.

But, if you work at a souvenir shop in a tourist area, Mandarin might become your daily lingua

franca.

Will Esperanto become the internationl language?

NOPE.

Shrug

The question of the day:

If you're watching this video, you obviously speak English.

How about the other people you know, and the people in your area?

How well do most of them know English?

And native speakers of English, what has been your experience using English while traveling?

Have you found it easy to get around using English?

Does it depend on the location?

Let us know in the comments down below.

Be sure to follow Langfocus on, you know, all those social media things I mention in

every video.

And once again I'd like to thank all my Patreon supporters, especially these wonderful people

right here on the screen, for their monthly pledges.

Thank you for watching and have a nice day.