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english as a Global LanguageA century ago, when the world was still a very big place, communicating in english, was not nearly as important as it is today. With the introduction of better communication and means of transportation, english as a language seems to have become something of a global language. What exactly does this mean, though? In essence, it can be argued that english is a global means of communication because almost everyone would know at least a few words of english. Words like ?internet? and ?ok? have been absorbed by other languages. Indeed, for many people who have high aims and goals, it would simply be unrealistic not knowing how to communicate in english. World leaders, for example, communicate with each other in english, sometimes with the help of a translator. During most U.N summits, english is the medium of exchange. At least a working knowledge of the language is necessary and desirable. There are many benefits of having a global language. This way, people of varying backgrounds and ethnicities can communicate, easily. The world, with the introduction of the internet especially, is now interconnected. In such a place, a universal form of communication is very helpful; and this is the role that english is assuming. Having a global language also means that information is easily attained as well; some of the most informative sites on the internet are in english. All of this is not to say, however, that there are no drawbacks in having a global language; because there are. One of the biggest problems facing a global language is that other languages are overlooked. There are many tourists who visit places such as Italy and France, who do not worry about attempting to learn a few vital phrases and as such; they just ?adhere? to english. This is not advantageous; learning different languages would help in a variety of ways. english may be a global language, but it will never be the mother tongue or first language of the world?s inhabitants and it is wrong to presume otherwise. Another drawback is that some may feel as if society is enforcing the need to learn english. The very fact that there are courses, being offered exemplifies this. If one doesn?t know english, then education and career prospects are limited for them. What if, in the person?s area, there are no english courses available? This person would have no viable way to learn the language and accomplish individual goals. Perhaps though, the biggest problem with having a global language is cultural homogenization. The youth of today, in most urban areas especially, are alike in most parts of the world. They listen to the same music, watch the same movies, and read the same. It is almost as if individualization is ceasing to exist. It is my opinion, however, that the benefits of having a global language outweigh the drawbacks, mainly due to the fact that the drawbacks can be counteracted. For example, in countries such as japan and France, their respective cultures are celebrated, and the governments try to consistently maintain external influences from harming local identity. One can learn english, but still retain ones? own heritage; this would be the ideal situation.
