The Emergence of English as a Global Language
Emergence of English as a world language
The need for a global link language
Prof. Anil Sarwal[1]
The primary means of communication among the peoples of the world is language. According to a well known linguist, Frank Palmer[1], the difference between human beings and animals is poorly described by the label homo sapiens (man with wisdom). He questions what do we mean by wisdom? Anthropologists describe man as a tool maker, but even apes are known to be able to make primitive tools. In fact, what sets us apart from animals is our ability to speak. Man is a speaking animal—homo loquens—and this ability has greatly facilitated our advancement in all spheres.
At present, humanity uses 6,809 living languages and about 100 living scripts to facilitate its social interactions[2]. However, there is an urgent need for the adoption of a common link language in a world in which all its people are quickly becoming interdependent despite the many differences of their myriad cultures, races, religions and ideologies. The ‘planetization of humankind’[3] is almost complete due to the effects of recent dramatic advances in transport and communication. Communications have been greatly improved by the widespread adoption of mass media—especially radio and television—coupled with reduced costs and time that has been made possible by the use of satellites, computers and mobile telephones. The Internet is quickly emerging as the preferred information highway to meet our daily communication needs as well as for conducting important business transactions.
It is now almost impossible for us to fully participate in the global village that we live in, without ‘knowing’ a common world language.[4] However, the common link language that would be the universally accepted means of communication should not be allowed to undermine the importance of any other existing language or culture. In fact, new linguistic insights have made us aware that no human language is superior to any
The need for a global link language
Prof. Anil Sarwal[1]
The primary means of communication among the peoples of the world is language. According to a well known linguist, Frank Palmer[1], the difference between human beings and animals is poorly described by the label homo sapiens (man with wisdom). He questions what do we mean by wisdom? Anthropologists describe man as a tool maker, but even apes are known to be able to make primitive tools. In fact, what sets us apart from animals is our ability to speak. Man is a speaking animal—homo loquens—and this ability has greatly facilitated our advancement in all spheres.
At present, humanity uses 6,809 living languages and about 100 living scripts to facilitate its social interactions[2]. However, there is an urgent need for the adoption of a common link language in a world in which all its people are quickly becoming interdependent despite the many differences of their myriad cultures, races, religions and ideologies. The ‘planetization of humankind’[3] is almost complete due to the effects of recent dramatic advances in transport and communication. Communications have been greatly improved by the widespread adoption of mass media—especially radio and television—coupled with reduced costs and time that has been made possible by the use of satellites, computers and mobile telephones. The Internet is quickly emerging as the preferred information highway to meet our daily communication needs as well as for conducting important business transactions.
It is now almost impossible for us to fully participate in the global village that we live in, without ‘knowing’ a common world language.[4] However, the common link language that would be the universally accepted means of communication should not be allowed to undermine the importance of any other existing language or culture. In fact, new linguistic insights have made us aware that no human language is superior to any