David Crystal
English, a Global Language
English has become an international, global language. It has pushed itself into almost all of the languages on the globe. Where is it that no one understands " Okay", or doesn't know what a "computer" or a "hi-fi", or a "CD" is? English is the language that is studied by the highest percentage of European students, 60,3%, with French at only 30,4%, German at 5,2 % and Spanish at 3.5%.
A question that many people are asking is: why has English become the global language of today? David Crystal, a famous linguist, said: "It [English] is a language which has repeatedly found itself in the right place at the right time". This means that the reason for this dominance can probably be found in the history og the English-speaking countries, and especially in Britain's colonial expansion and the succeeding activity of the United States.
In fact, the USA with its economic, technological and cultural influence has spread the English language all over the world.
Approximately one person in five of the world's population speaks English. English is the language used by pop singers, scientists, pilots, businessmen and diplomats. It is also the language of sport, advertising, communication and the Internet. There are three kinds of English speakers: those who speak it as thier first, or native language, and there are about 375 milion of these people in the world; those, also about 375 milion people, who have moved form their native country to an English-speaking country and therefore have had to learn English as a second language; finally, the largest group of English speakers, about 750 milion people, are those who are larning the language have learned it, as a foreing
English has become an international, global language. It has pushed itself into almost all of the languages on the globe. Where is it that no one understands " Okay", or doesn't know what a "computer" or a "hi-fi", or a "CD" is? English is the language that is studied by the highest percentage of European students, 60,3%, with French at only 30,4%, German at 5,2 % and Spanish at 3.5%.
A question that many people are asking is: why has English become the global language of today? David Crystal, a famous linguist, said: "It [English] is a language which has repeatedly found itself in the right place at the right time". This means that the reason for this dominance can probably be found in the history og the English-speaking countries, and especially in Britain's colonial expansion and the succeeding activity of the United States.
In fact, the USA with its economic, technological and cultural influence has spread the English language all over the world.
Approximately one person in five of the world's population speaks English. English is the language used by pop singers, scientists, pilots, businessmen and diplomats. It is also the language of sport, advertising, communication and the Internet. There are three kinds of English speakers: those who speak it as thier first, or native language, and there are about 375 milion of these people in the world; those, also about 375 milion people, who have moved form their native country to an English-speaking country and therefore have had to learn English as a second language; finally, the largest group of English speakers, about 750 milion people, are those who are larning the language have learned it, as a foreing