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I wanted to start this essay with the following statement: I love English language. There’s no other language in the world that makes the tongue in my mouth happier. And I have also learnt Spanish, Swedish and Russian, so I can draw a distinction. Speaking English is like dressing your voice in an elegant, stylish suit. It makes you feel confident, gentlemanly and even a little bit taller. I love different ‘faces’ of English language, be it a Southern American accent, London’s Cockney drawl, speech of New Zealanders with their almost comic habit to shift some vowel sounds, or funky mix of English and Afrikaans one may encounter on the streets of Cape Town. It will not be an exaggeration to say that English was the language of the 20th century and it keeps carrying the torch further on. According to Wikipedia, English is an official language in 67 countries and in more than 20 various international organizations, like United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Criminal Court and so on. It is spoken by more than a billion people worldwide, including native and second language speakers. There are regions, like Latin America, Eastern Europe or Asia, where English language is still somewhat unrecognized, but this situation is rapidly improving, and with each new generation the number of language learners increases. It is well-known that French is the language of love. German is the language of military. Italian is the language of food. What is left there for English then? Today English is the language of business. Such words as marketing, franchising, freelance, outsourcing originated in English speaking world, but now they are common for any developed society. English is the language of music. In the 60’s rock ‘n roll made a revolution in the minds and hearts of young folks, leading to the outburst of mass hysteria, and placing English language on the musical map to overshadow French or Italian scenes completely. English is the language of cinema. With Hollywood’s rising the magical world of cinema has acquired a strong American accent. Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep became role models for millions of movie-lovers from New York to Tokyo. Besides, old Hollywood flicks appear to be a truly inspiring source for language learning. English is the language of sport. The terminology of professional athletes is heavily packed with English words and phrases, while such leagues as National Basketball Association or National Hockey League are regarded as the most competitive ones and host only the cream of the crop players available on the market. English is the language of modern technologies. It gave us words laser, teleport, internet, adapter, UFO. And if you feel that this is not enough, do worry not - NASA and Elon Musk will probably come up with a few more in the nearest future. English is the mother tongue of all programming languages. You will hardly master C++ or Python, if you don’t have a basic command of English. And finally, English is the best language for children. One’s childhood wouldn’t be complete without close acquaintance with cartoons of Walt Disney, The Muppet Show or Marvel comics. Let’s not forget about video games - another bridge to English for a child. Most of the kids discover such words as difficulty or continue before they even learn how to count. A big share of English words historically derives from Latin, with some minor changes and adjustments introduced along the way. It’s safe to say, that every single person on this planet employs English vocabulary on a regular basis, sometimes without even knowing it. This alone indicates the distinctive feature of modern English to mingle in other languages, quite similar to how le Français was dominating Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. The ability of people from different cultures to communicate fluently is a token of friendship and mutual understanding that is relevant today more than ever. I sincerely hope that English language will continue to serve humanity as the most accessible connecting link between nations. Learning English language was a life-changing experience, which has opened so many doors for my professional development and personal growth. Now I think in English, breath English and have dreams in English. I am comforted by the knowledge that if I am to address the world, I will be heard and understood by the majority of population.
