English as a Global Language, Essay Example

The status of English as a global language is primarily due to the prominence of countries that have it listed as their official language, such as the United States and England. Since these nations are considered to be world leaders, countries that wished to form alliances and trade partnerships with them worked to bolster their understanding of the language. In this manner, countries sought to understand English to become a factor in these strong partnerships.

English is currently the language used for aeronautical and maritime communications (Crystal). As a consequence, countries that wish to have a competitive military would benefit by learning the language and understanding these messages. Doing so will also help these countries establish a strong defense.

An additional reason that English is a global language is that it is one of the official languages of the United Nations. Therefore, representatives of member countries are required to understand the language in order to engage in negotiations and debates with foreign partners.

A third reason that English is a global language is that it is considered to be the language of science and almost all international scientific conferences are held in English. As a consequence, the education system of many non-English speaking countries introduces the language to them from an early age, so these individuals will be able to compete in the academic setting in their careers (Graddol).

In conclusion, English is a global language because English speaking countries are considered to be powerful. In addition, it is the language that is used for aeronautical, maritime, and scientific communications. Therefore, countries that wish to remain competitive in the modern world must present their citizens with at least a basic understanding of English.

Works Cited

Crystal D. Language Death.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Graddol D. The Future of English? 1996. Web. 1 January 2015. <https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/learning-elt-future.pdf>