Teach English in Huangu Zhen - Ankang Shi

English as a Global Language English is considered to be a global language due to its vast international use. There are more than 400 million people in the world speaking English as their first language and more than 1.1 billion people using English as their second language. Because English is used across the world amongst native and non native speakers, it has become the most commonly spoken language in the world. We can confidently state that English has become the language of international communication. English has become a global language over the centuries due to various contributing factors. The main influences include; the British Empire and colonisation from the 17th to the 20th century, the dominant political and economical power and influence of the United States. As well as science, technology, education, globalised trade and international travel, to mention a few. In the 18th century, as the British Empire formed colonies and as the United States became a ‘superpower’ at the end of WW2, the English language has spread across the world and it was used for communication internationally. By the 21st century, English was more widely spoken and written than any other language. This shows that English has become the main language in the world over the centuries due the political and economical power of those countries whose native speakers used English. In addition to the above, English is regarded as the first world language, simply because it is the most widely used language in the world. It is used globally in newspaper and book publishing, media, art, international telecommunications, scientific publishing, international trade and international relations, diplomacy, entertainment and it is the formal language of aviation and seafaring. It is estimated that 85% of international organisations use English as one of their official languages. For example, English is one of the official languages of the UN, the official language of the European Union and the International Olympic Committee and it is used as an official and working language by other international organisations, for example the European Free Trade Association, Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation. English is the leading language of international discourse and is used for professional purposes such as navigation and law. It is therefore undeniable that English has become a world language and is used for almost all aspects of international communication. Furthermore, the vast geographical distribution of English across the world is evident by English being the main spoken language across the majority of continents. It is the mother tongue in various countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand and it is widely spoken in areas of the Caribbean, Africa and South Asia. It is also the official language of India, the Phillipines, Singapore and South Africa. The number of countries officially using English as their primary language for both domestic and international communication makes English a vital necessity for correspondence amongst the majority of continents. To conclude, the English language has grown to be one of the most widely used languages in the world. It has spread through history and amongst countries to the extent that approximately a third of the world’s population now use English. It is used for all purposes from communication in every day life to the highest level of international affairs. We can therefore confidently state that English has become the chosen language of universal communication. References En.wikipedia.org. (2018). English language. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language#Geographical_distribution [Accessed 2 Oct. 2018]. Mastin, L. (2011). The History of English - English as a Global Language. [online] Thehistoryofenglish.com. Available at: https://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/issues_global.html [Accessed 2 Oct. 2018].