Declaration: I declare that I wrote this thesis by myself and that I used only the sources listed in the bibliography section. Brno, April 2012 Adela Pilátová Acknowledgements
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3.4The Future of a Global EnglishIt is very difficult to predict what will happen with language in few years whether the growth will remain and English will spread even more. David Crystal says that any prediction about language in future is very difficult. In the middle Ages no one would believe that Latin will be death language in few centuries later, same as in the 18th century that there is other language that would play as important role as French did (Crystal “Global language” 123). Few options will be defined below what may endanger English as a world or global language. Firstly, if language was always spread with the support of political, military or economic power as mentioned by Crystal (“Global language” 9), then the shift of economic power in the 21st century will have inevitably impact on English. No one really thinks that some other language will replace English in its role of a global language in few years. However, when the economy will be more divided between neighbouring countries we may predict that there will be an increase of local or regional languages. There is no doubt that the economic power in Asia grows enormously and probably this grow will remain for some period of time. The need of Mandarin language, as a predominant language of China, therefore may increase to be able to communicate with Asia. The question is whether local people who already invested a lot of money to be educated in English will want to throw this money away or the benefit of knowing English will be still granted as an advantage and English language will keep the privileged position (Graddol “Future of English” 58). Whatever happens with English in future, there is no doubt that it is not the only language that plays an important role in today society and probably will not play it in the future as the only language. David Graddol in his research stated English is challenged especially by aforementioned Mandarin and Spanish in some countries. Mandarin is becoming very popular language to be learned not only in Asia but also in Europe and the USA. Chinese Government supports all activities that lead towards teaching Mandarin as a foreign or second language. This support is actively done through Confucius Institutes which is similar to British Council. Graddol about Mandarin language also said: The attractiveness of Mandarin to learners across the world is growing, and language schools in many countries are expanding their provision to include it. Unlike the enthusiasm for learning Japanese which was prompted by the economic rise of Japan, there are reasons why interest in Mandarin may remain a long-term trend (“English Next” 64). Spanish has been actively competing English not only in South America but also in the USA. Brazilian5 students may nowadays choose between Spanish and English as a compulsory foreign language to study. In the USA is growing population that has Spanish their native language. In some towns Spanish speaking population outnumbered the English speaking (Graddol “English Next” 61-64). If the political and military power used to play an important role as mentioned above, the technology will play the role in future. Prediction what will happen with English can be done when we look what happened with Internet as the fastest means of spread of English language. David Crystal says: "When the internet started it was of course 100 percent English because of where it came from, but since the 1980s that status has started to fall away. By 1995, it was down to about 80 percent present of English on the internet, and the current figures for 2001 are that it is hovering somewhere between 60 percent and 70 percent, with a significant drop likely over the next four or five years (Crystal “Language and the Internet” 58). This shows that English may keep its predominance but will have to share the space with other language same way as it happens on the Internet. 4 English language in business4.1English in global businessDavid Graddol suggested: “Global trade is no longer a matter of bilateral arrangement between nations states, or between organizations economically rooted in nation states.“ (“Future of English” 32). Global business has transformed to ‘complex structure of business ownership’. The complex structure means joint ventures, holding companies and corporations. Most of these companies are not even multinational but rather transnational6. The growth of these companies provoked global distribution of workforce. Once a company has production costs too high in one country, production is usually shifted to another country where the costs get lower. These shifts have impact on spread of English language. Graddol further explains what impact the economic development has on English language. The company may not have headquarters in English-speaking country but such a company usually has English as its company language therefore new workforce also adapts the language. Legal documents and agreements will be written in English. International unanimity for terms, obligations and rights is already in English. Law English comes on stage at this phase. Skills in English will be required from back-office employees in order to keep international trade running. Establishing company at one place and transfer of technology also require lots of internal visitors. Visitors require supporting facilities – hotels, restaurants and tourist office. Vast majority of visitors will speak English therefore staff in these facilities needs to speak English as well. Although people do not need English directly for their work as the language itself is the company language, the knowledge of language is required in most of the cases (Graddol “Future of English” 32). More people are required to use English language at work; according to Graddol working language has been distinguished to two types. The first type of working language is the one used in communication between people that are at the same level. They usually use vocabulary and language that is specialized to their field. Although they do not create special dialect or variety of English but their language forms the same type of ‘discourse community’. The difference is usually at the level of formality or in different style. The second type of working English language is used when communicating with people outside of this community, usually when speaking to customers or public. This type of language occurs in service industry. The language follows certain pattern when speaking to clients (Graddol “Future of English” 43). Employers’ expectations about variety of styles that their employees are able to use rise, English is language of corporate identity as well as means of communication with customers.
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