English As A World Language: A Comprehensive Discussion on the Evolution of English Language

Key Facts:

👉English is the second most spoken language in the world, next to China.
👉300 million native speakers and 300 million  second language users ,100 million users as a foreign language.

👉There is extensive use of English in the field of science, aviation, computing, diplomacy, and tourism. 
👉The official or co-official language of over 45 countries .

The Global Journey of English: Tracing the Evolution of a World Language

Introduction:

English has emerged as a dominant global language, spoken by millions of people around the world. Its widespread use can be attributed to historical, cultural, and economic factors. In this comprehensive discussion, we will explore the evolution of the English language, from its origins to its current status as a global lingua franca.

Origins of English:

English belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family. It evolved from the dialects spoken by Germanic tribes who migrated to the British Isles during the 5th and 6th centuries. Old English, spoken between the 5th and 11th centuries, bears little resemblance to the modern English we know today.

English is a West Germanic language related to Dutch, Frisian and German with a significant amount of vocabulary from French, Latin, Greek and many other languages. From the vantage point of history, English had so humble a beginning that at first it would scarcely merit the honor of being the literature language of even an Englishman of some renown. 

Influence of Norman Conquest:

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought French-speaking Normans to the country, leading to the fusion of Old English and Old Norman (a variety of Old French). This resulted in Middle English, which saw significant changes in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Renaissance and Modern English:

The Renaissance period witnessed a revival of learning, literature, and culture. English underwent a transformation during this time, with scholars reintroducing classical Latin and Greek influences. The printing press played a crucial role in standardizing English, making literature more accessible to the masses.

Shakespeare wrote for a speech community of about six million peoples, that it was not thought to be of much account by the rest of Europe, and that its was entirely unknown to the rest of the world. Milton, the English poet of epic fame, was only the Latin secretary of Cromwell, for Latin was then the language of diplomacy. The only other important language was French which was the accepted language of culture.

English as a Lingua Franca:

English's status as a global lingua franca can be attributed to factors such as the economic influence of English-speaking countries, the rise of the internet and digital communication, and the internationalization of higher education. English serves as a common language for international trade, diplomacy, aviation, and scientific research.

 John Locke, the celebrated English philosopher commented that ‘English was the language of the illiterate vulgar’. But today the scenario has been entirely transformed and the English language rules roost over almost any other significant language, be it oriented like Chinese or Hindi, or  Russian and French.Today, English is truly an International language used in more countries as an official language or as the main means of international communication than any other language. The phenomenal gain in importance is neither accidental nor ephemeral, for it is the consequence of a number of factors – numerical superiority, geographical distribution, political and commercial clout and a host of intrinsic merits of the language itself.

English is one of the many claimants for the position of a world language. Numerically the claim of Chinese, spoken by maximum number of people of the world is apt to count more that English. But its drawback is that it is confined within a particular geographical area and that for from being any one language it is a collection of more than seventy dialects, seem to counterbalance its claim. Next, to Chinese there is Russian. As socialism seems to outlive all other “isms” and Russia is a country where it is ensconced and practiced most effectively, the claim of Russian as prospective world language is not easy to dismiss. Linguist like D.A. Jaslarsky traced the succession of language to the succession of social systems and that “Latin was the language of the ancient world, French of feudal epoch, English of capitalism and Russian is the world language of socialism. But Russian, too, is limited to one continent and hence can be safely passed over.

British Colonialism and the Spread of English:

During the 17th to 20th centuries, British colonial expansion spread the English language to various regions, including North America, Australia, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. English became the administrative and educational language in these territories, leaving a lasting linguistic impact.

American English and Global Influence:

The colonization of North America led to the development of American English, which gradually diverged from British English. As the United States emerged as a global superpower, American English gained prominence, particularly in the fields of technology, entertainment, and business.

Global Varieties of English:

English has evolved differently in various regions, giving rise to numerous dialects and variations. Examples include British English, American English, Australian English, Indian English, Nigerian English, and many more. These regional varieties incorporate local vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, reflecting the cultural diversity and linguistic creativity of English speakers worldwide.

English: A Linguistic Chameleon with Global Adaptability:

English on Rock

English, however, has the widest circulation, spoken and used as official language by men and women round the globe, especially in the countries which were British colonies. Hence it is likely to become ‘in a natural unforced way’, as Galsworthy thinks, “the single – inter – communicating tongue”. R.E. Zachrisson endorses this opinion. “English has the strongest for the world languageship seem to materialize because it has some inherent merits by virtue of which it can easily crow over its unsuccessful rivals. First, Baugh points out, it has a curiously mixed vocabulary. Having Germanic as its parent language it shares its vocabulary with all other Teutonic language like Dutch, Norwegian etc. Also having been under the yoke of the Romans and the French more than half of its vocabulary had come from French and Latin sources. Secondly, it absorbs and assimilates any foreign word with board catholicity. For example ‘Samovar’ from Russian ‘Apartheid’ from South Africa, ‘ping – pong’ from Chinese, ’boomerang’ or ‘kangaroo’ from Australia, ‘Gherao’ from Bengali have been assimilated beyond normal recognition. Thirdly, the loss of in flexional and declensional endings has made English more analytical language, the tense; the nominative and the verb have been synthesized into one word ‘fuissen’, in English each idea is analytically expressed in terms of separate words, “I should have been”. Fourthly, English has adopted natural as opposed to grammatical gender. In German as also in Sanskrit the gender system is complex and arbitrary. ‘Monde’ is masculine, ‘Sonne' is feminine, and ‘weib’ is neuter, whereas in English gender clearly indicates the difference of sex. Above all, modern English, for simplicity, has done away with the agreement of adjectives, possessive pronouns and articles with their nouns. Thus an Englishman is at liberty to use. “My wife and children” while a Frenchman can only say, “My wife and my children”.

Linguistic Challenges in English for Foreigners:

Endowed with the assets English is beset with certain defects which tend to counterpoise the advantages. The unwieldy and complex vocabulary having at least 50 synonyms for “see” and the tongue twister intricacy of English spelling (1kδ: nl spelt as ‘colonel’) are a stumbling block for foreigners. In flexional simplicity accounts for the rigidity of syntax. While in Sanskrit the items in a sentence are mutually interchangeable without causing any semantic change, in English any such attempt, say the replacement of ‘the tiger’ causes total semantic dislocation. Cases of attributive gender, say “she” for a “ship” are quite common.

Philologist and linguists have adopted schemes to eliminate these drawbacks. Ogden and Richards have tired to limit the vast English vocabulary to 850 odd words – what they ‘Basic English’ – by teaching the learners the major pronouns – ‘he’ and ‘she’ – and standard prepositions in combination with familiar Norton verbs. Zechrisson by involving ‘anglic’, has tired to simplify English spelling on the phonetic like.

 However, it is not the richness of a language that determines its acceptability. If it were so, Greek would not have been replaced by Latin. It is the political power users, more than anything else that determines the fate of a language. Fortunately, the accidental location of the U.N.O. Head Quarters at the U.S.A has necessitated the use of American English by the delegates of different countries. America being the richest and the most militarily advanced countries in the world, the American brand of English is surely, shortly, going to gain the status of a world language, not, alas, the British brand !

English in the Digital Age:

The digital revolution has had a profound impact on the English language. The internet, social media, and instant messaging platforms have introduced new vocabulary, abbreviations, and informal language. English has adapted to suit the demands of online communication, often characterized by brevity and informality.

Conclusion:

The English language has come a long way from its Germanic origins to its current status as a global language. Its evolution has been shaped by historical events, colonialism, cultural exchanges, and technological advancements. English's flexibility and adaptability have allowed it to thrive and continue evolving as a truly international means of communication.

Ardhendu De 

REF:

A contribution to the study of Anglo-Norman influence on English place-names : Zachrisson, R. E. (Robert Eugen), 1880- : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/contributiontost00zachuoft

George Orwell - “‘Politics & the English Language’” [1946] : George Orwell - “ ‘Politics & the English Language’” [1946] : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/orwell-politics-the-english-language-1946

History of the English language : Lounsbury, Thomas R., 1838-1915 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/historyofenglish00loun_0

The Meaning Of Meaning C. K. Ogden And I. A. Richards : javanesegraviton : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/TheMeaningOfMeaningC.K.OgdenAndI.A.Richards