Analyze the factors which have led to the globalization of English and evaluate the future of English as a world language?

Essay by absolutUniversity, Bachelor'sB, February 2004

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In 1950, any motion of English as a true world language was just a theoretical possibility, surrounded by the political uncertainty of the Cold War. Fifty years later, English made John Lennon "more popular than Jesus". Nowadays, English language has accomplished to do what British Empire never succeeded.

The English Empire exists, and it is growing stronger by the minute.

Even this document, is an undisputable evidence. It is now the most successful language the globe has ever known with perhaps more than 1,500 million speakers. In this century, English have become a political and cultural reality. Needless to say, English language has already taken over the world. An uncountable amount of reasons contributed to the fact that English language has dominated the globe, in just fifty years. The most significant factors and key-reasons will be analyzed in the next few paragraphs, leaving no doubts of the English dominance.

A language achieves a genuinely global status when it adopts a special role recognized in every country and nation.

In the case of English, the special role has achieved perfectly, considering that several countries speak it as a mother tongue. Countries such as: Canada, Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and many Caribbean countries can definitely give a lead to English, but they cannot give English world status and recognition. The appropriate status and recognition that is required to be a Global Language.

Similarly, there are other languages which are characterized as a mother tongue to a dozen countries or so.

However, after many researches and statistical analysis, the British Council did not took long to announce English the official Global Language , and add the missing status and recognition. According to the British Council, by the end of the year 2000, the number of people with English as a...