Monday, January 19, 2015

Where do we see evidence of linguistic imperialism in the Anglophone world?

What is linguistic imperialism ? The basic meaning of linguistic imperialism is the transfer of a dominant language to other people and in this case the dominant language is the English language. In our rapidly globalising world today, the English language is becoming the most dominant language in the world. There appeared a number of modern purposes, determining the predominant position of the English language and allowing to retain its importance in the world society. My own opinion is that all people must know English to a certain degree to use as a common language throughout the world, but learn their native language as well. The most important factor in the majority of English speaking people, from whom English is their native language. Another important factor is that knowing English gives people great opportunities for studying, business, international career and travelling. English is a language of international community. It is in its way of world society of the epoch of globalisation  The number of people in the world speaking English is more than one billion people, only a quarter of them consider English as their mother language. Today we see that English seriously strengthens its positions as the language of international communication not only is Europe, but in the whole world. As evidence, today the international conferences, symposiums are held mainly in English. Most universities around the world demand applications in correct formal English. One of the main reasons that children abandon their native language (which is one of the main causes for the extinction of languages) is due to the fact of them being too lazy to learn it or due to them being embarrassed to speak it in public. In an Indian boarding school, the students were not aloud to speak their native languages. When a person abandons their native language, they abandon their culture and more importantly their identity. UAE is arab country yet in all the school here, Mathematics ,Sciences and other subjects , are all taught in English. I speak more English at home than Arabic even though my parents are Arab. When people go out in this country the majority speak English not arabic. That is due to the fact that they are being taught to speak English in school. That is why Education is an example to where we see linguistic imperialism in the world today. 

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