Abstract
Globalization has ushered in an era of global culture and economy. With this increased internationalization, everyone needs a medium of communication. Intercultural transactions can only take place if a common language is used. The English language has become popular as a common language. As Brian Bloch and Donna Starks explained (1999) Malay English, Arabic English, American English, Australian English or even South African English are many distinctive forms of English but they all have British English as a basic root.
In this document, we will study the reasons behind the rise of English as a global language, the effects of the globalization, and the prospects that the future holds for English and other languages.
Specialists agree that the importance of English is directly linked to an historical perspective. Braj B Kachru (1989) easily explains the different stages of the spread of English. Firstly, it was the language used for trades, explorations and conquests since the 16th century. Then, the establishment of strategic posts all around the world (Africa, The Orient, North America and Australia) extended its use. A Few hundred centuries later, as the global population increased, non native speakers had to learn English to find employment or a place within the dominant countries. After the Second World War, former British colonies became independent and began to teach English in their new educational structures.
Thus, there has been a huge development of English with respect to the number of activities that depended on its use. The industrial and telecommunication revolutions amplified the expansion of English. This explains why history cannot be the only explanation of the progress of English. David Crystal (1997) says that a language can become an international one for many reasons, such as the influence of political and the military powers, but only the economical one can allow a country to maintain and expand it.
