Lesson 5

5.1. Before reading match words with their definitions

Words:	Definitions:
1)Native	a) Languages spoken abroad, a language you can choose to study at school.
2) Official	b) Language you learn because you have to live in the country where the language is spoken.
3)Second language	c) The language you learned at home with your family when you were small.
4)Foreign language	d) The language that is used in official documents, spoken on the radio and on television

English is a World Language

Have you ever wondered how many people are there who speak English? It’s a quite a number! The exact figure is impossible to tell, but it is around 400 million people. Geographically, English is the most wide- spread language on earth, and it is second only to Chinese in the number of people who speak it. If you add to this the enormous number of people who learn to understand and speak English (like yourself) you will realize that English is needed a “world Language”.

People have long been interested in having one language that could be spoken throughout the world. Such a language would help to increase cultural and economic ties and simplify communication between people. Though the years, at least 600 universal languages have been proposed, including Esperanto since its creation in 1887, but English, according to specialists, has better chances to become a global language, so why not to lean it? English is official language in 53 countries.Great Britain, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are English speaking countries. They are situated in different parts of the world and differ in many ways. The nature of these countries, their weather and climate and way of life of their people differ. Each country has it's own history customs, traditions, its own national holidays. But they all have a common language. English is the language of the people who left England to make their names in new countries.

According to research by the British Council, English has official or special status in at least seventy-five countries with a total population of over two billion. English is spoken as a native language by around 375 million and as a second language by around 375 million speakers in the world. Speakers of English as a second language will soon outnumber those who speak it as a first language. Around 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language. One out of four of the world's population speaks English to some level of competence. Demand from the other three-quarters is increasing.

The countries with the highest populations of native English speakers are, in descending order: United States (215 million), United Kingdom (58 million), Canada (18.2 million), Australia (15.5 million), Ireland (3.8 million),South Africa (3.7 million), and New Zealand (3.0-3.7 million), India has the most such speakers ('Indian English') and linguistics professor David Crystal claims that, combining native and non-native speakers, India now has more people who speak or understand English than any other country in the world. Following India is the People's Republic of China.

Linguists such as David Crystal recognize that one impact of this massive growth of English, in common with other global languages, has been to reduce native linguistic diversity in many parts of the world historically, most particularly in Australasia and North America, and its huge influence continues to play an important role in language attrition. By a similar token, historical linguists, aware of the complex and fluid dynamics of language change, are always alive to the potential

English contains through the vast size and spread of the communities that use it and its natural internal variety. Approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language English today is probably the third largest language by number of native speakers. Modern English, sometimes described as the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy. The initial reason for its enormous spread beyond the bounds of the British Isles where it was originally a native tongue was the British Empire, and by the late nineteenth century its influence had won a truly global reach. It is the dominant language in the United States and the growing economic and cultural influence and status as a global superpower since World War II has significantly accelerated adoption of English as a language across the planet .A working knowledge of English has become a requirement in a number of fields, occupations and professions such as medicine and as a consequence over a billion people speak English to at least a basic level.

Because English is so widely spoken, it has often been referred to as a "world language" of the modern era. While English is not an official language in most countries, it is currently the language most often taught as a second language around the world. Some linguists believe that it is no longer the exclusive cultural sign of "native English speakers", but is rather a language that is absorbing aspects of cultures worldwide as it continues to grow.

It is, by international treaty, the official language for aerial and maritime communications. English is an official language of the United Nations and many other international organizations, including the International Olympic Committee. Books, magazines, and newspapers written in English are available in many countries around the world. English is also the most commonly used language in the sciences. In 1997, the Science Citation Index reported that 95% of its articles were written in English, even though only half of them came from authors in English-speaking countries.

A world language is a language spoken internationally, which is learned by many people as a second language. A world language is not only characterized by the number of its speakers (native or second language speakers), but also by its geographical distribution, and its use in international organizations and in diplomatic relations. In this respect, major world languages are dominated by languages of European origin. The historical reason for this is the period of European colonialism. International English is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language. It is also referred to as Global English, World English, Common English, or General English. Sometimes these terms refer simply to the array of varieties of English spoken throughout the world.

People who speak English fall into one of three groups: those who have learnt it as their native language, those who have learnt it as a second language in a society which is mainly bilingual and those who are force to use it for a practical purpose - professional or educational. Nowadays when science and technology are progressing so fast all kind of specialists need English in their work.

5.2. After reading the text аnswer the following question:

1. Why English has become a global Language?

2.Why is it important to know English?

3.Why people who speak English have better job opportunities?

4.Do you think it is possible to know a second language as well as native speakers do?

5.Why do people learn foreign languages as you see it?

5.3. After you have read the text “English is a global language” fill in the mind map below with more reasons for learning English. You might use ideas from the text you have read or your own ideas why you should learn English.

Рис. 5.1. The mind map

5.4. Discuss in pairs: why a lot of people all over the world learn English and why English has taken the position of the world language.

5.5. Discuss in groups of 4 students the following facts about the English language:

a) 750 million people all over the world use it

b) It has become the language of the planet

c) It’s the first truly global language

d) It’s the main language of business, sports, science

e) It’s one of the richest languages

f) There are many borrowings from English in other languages

g) Three quarters of the world’s mail are in English

h) English is the world’s computer language

5.6. Look at the questions below and find an answer you prefer to each question:

1. How many people speak Englsh?

a) English has official or special status in at least seventy five countries with a total population of over two billion.

b) English is spoken as a first language by around 375 million and as a second language by around 375 million speakers in the world.

c) Speakers of English as a second language probably outnumber those who speak it as a first language.

d) One out of four of the world's population speaks English to some level of competence; demand from the other three-quarters is increasing.

2. What do people use English for?

a) English is the main language of books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, science, technology, diplomacy,sport, international competitions, pop music and advertising

b) Over two-thirds of the world's scientists read in English

c) Three quarters of the world's mail is written in English

d) 80% of the world's electronically stored information is in English

3. How many people are learning English?

a) By the year 2000 it was estimated that over one billion people will be learning English

b) At any one time there are 130,000 students learning English and other skills through the medium of English in British Council teaching centers worldwide

4. How many people come to the UK to learn English?

a) Around 700,000 people come to learn English in the UK each year

5. What economic benefits does English bring to the UK?

a) British English language products are worth over 800 million pounds a year to the UK

b) The total expenditure of the 700,000 visitors to the UK annually to learn English is over 700 million pounds - possibly over one billion pounds

c) The English language makes it possible for British companies to develop markets, sell into them and form commercial alliances; it brings direct benefits through the supply of English teaching goods and services.

6. What other benefits does English have for the UK?

a) Tourists are encouraged to visit the UK.

b) Businesspeople are encouraged to invest and build partnerships with the UK.

c) People are encouraged to watch British films, read books by British authors, and listen to British radio and popular music.

5.7. Summarize all new facts you have learnt about the English language.