Extinction of Other Languages, Essay Example

The promotion of English language has both economic and cultural benefits for Saudi Arabia. Language defines a person and helps explain his culture. Language holds important clues regarding the cultural background of its speakers. Thus, language holds great promise in improving cross-cultural understanding among different cultures and in increasing interaction among them. It is approximated that there are currently some 10,000 languages in use around the world (Dyer, 1997). And out of all these languages, English has emerged as the language of international trade because it is understood in most cultures than any other language. Thus, every culture can benefit from English as a second language without pushing their native tongue into extinction.

More widespread English language skills among Saudis will allow the country to hire more locals in leadership positions at domestic companies which at the moment are mostly being led by western nationals. In addition, better English language skills will also allow Saudi nationals to understand foreign new channels in English language which will improve understanding of the West in the country. Better English skills will also encourage more Saudis to visit western countries thus, reducing the cultural gap between the Saudis and the West.

“The political relations between Saudis and Americans have drawn comparisons to marriage of convenience.” (Pallock 2002) The ups and down of oil policies and the attack of 9/11 that involved terrorist of Saudi dissent, all have fueled the love-hate relationship between Saudis and Americans that has gone on for decades.  Many cultures including Saudi Arabia do not want their civilization to be influenced by the American culture, and visa versa. But such nationalist attitudes have to be changed because the relationship between the two countries has become very lucrative for both of them. Neither country determined that one language is better than the other or demanded a universal language; they simply learned how to speak more than one dialect.  Being bilingual opened the door for greater economic advancements and a mutual working relationship.

By learning English, Saudis both in their country and abroad can do a better job of explaining their culture to the foreigners. They will not only be able to reduce many of the misconceptions but also promote Saudi tourism by the international community. As foreigners will come to Saudi Arabia and enjoy the hospitality Saudis are famous for, they will develop softer spot for the country. This will not only be a cultural boost to the Saudi Arab but also economical boost as Saudi foreign investments will face less skepticism. Saudi Arab stands with the West on many issues including Iran and Iraq but many westerners are unaware of this. The militant activities of few Saudi Jihadis have overshadowed the political contributions of Saudi government to global affairs. Thus, Saudi citizens can do a better job of promoting their culture if they learn English which is the most widely understood language in the world.

Americans and other speakers of English language have reaped great advantages due to the status of their language. Approximately, eighty percent of what is found on the internet is in English.  If an individual is capable of reading English, he will have access to at least four times the amount of resources as compared to the speakers of other languages. Social networks and media also play a role in language. Peter Ladefoget, a Professor of Phonetics at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) said, “People today want to watch television or listen to the radio, they can’t do that if they speak these smaller languages.” (Masci 2000) Using Alaska as an example, a radio station will have a confusing situation choose when deciding which of the 72 languages to choose for broadcast?  Most likely they will go with the language that has the most number of speakers. But this will mean that the speakers of other 71 languages would either miss on the broadcast or forced to learn a new language in order to enjoy the television or radio broadcast. Thus, Saudis have an opportunity to compensate for the disadvantage by learning English so that they have the same access to educational material that English speaking nations have. Internet has also become a grand force of cultural promotion and Saudis will have a chance to engage in objective conversation with the Western public though the internet as well.

Mass civilization has been such a successful phenomenon that five millennia later only eight languages account for fully half of the worlds people. In terms of the number of speakers, the largest languages in respective order are Chinese, English, Hindi, Spanish, Russian, Bengali, Arabic and Portuguese (Pallock, 2002). There is a growing trend towards the most widely spoken languages. Colleges are offering language courses and international education industry is growing as well. Because United States is viewed as one of the world’s biggest economical contributor, English is increasingly becoming the language of higher education and Science around the world (Bollag 2000). Another factor is advancements in technology as most of the software is written in English. Being bilingual does not mean an individual has to forego his native language. Bilingual language skills open up greater economic and cultural opportunities for individuals. In Saudia, I don’t know a single person who has claimed that his Arabic has deteriorated due to English. Thus, learning one language doesn’t affect the influency in the other language.

Every culture can benefit from English as a second language without pushing their native tongue into extinction. According to Professor Krauss, “Those who speak big languages like Spanish or Portuguese or English have economic control over people’s lives in their hands.” (Masci, 2000). Having a common means of communication does not threaten cultural heritage; it paves the way for greater cultural promotion. As technology continues to improve, it has become easier for individuals to learn a new language.  With English being the global language, it is safe to assume that the demand for bilingual communication will continue to grow.

References

Pallock, Josh.  Saudi Arabia and the United States, 1931-2002.  Middle East Review of  Internal Affairs.  Vol 6, No 3.  September 2002. Print.

Dyer, Gwynne.  Profusion of Tongues in the Global Village. The Sun. Baltimore Md. October 2, 1997. Print.

Masci, David.  Erosion of Linguistic Diversity.  Congressional Quarterly.  November 17, 2000.  Print.

Bollag, Burton. The New Latin: English Dominates in Academia. Chronicles of Higher Education. September 8, 2000.  Volume 47, Issue 2.  Print