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English as a Global LanguageBraj Kachru has divided the use of English into 3 Concentric Circles- Inner circle is the traditional base of English and consists of countries such as the UK, USA, ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and various islands of the Caribbean. Outer circle is countries where English has a historical or official importance. These countries include most of the Commonwealth of Nations such as Pakistan, India, Nigeria and the Philippines. Expanding circle refers to countries where English has no official role but is still vital to certain functions, most notable business. The use of English as a ?Lingua Franca? is utilized by the rest of the world not contained in the Inner and Outer circle. Lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues. English as an additional language (EAL) is usually based on either American or British English. English as an International language (EIL) is EAL with an emphasis on learning major different dialect forms and is aimed at teaching students to communicate internationally. International or Global English reaches towards cultural neutrality and to avoid the mass reproduction of materials and publications into the various regional markets. Corporate Global communication, as the world continues to gravitate toward a global economy, this has birthed a demand for a common language for commerce and communication. In order to carry out cross-border or international commerce, a form of communication has to be utilized to carry out these endeavors. Corporations from across Asia, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Russia and china have recognized this. Is English the correct language? English as a Global language does have critics. Debate surrounds the idea of English as a Global language due to history. Some feel that it is a form of colonial imperialism incorporated by the British Empire during British Colonialism. Others argue it is rather a form of ?cultural imperialism? incorporated by the USA during the 20th century. Edward Trimnell argues that English is not an adequate communication tool for complex business and technical situations for non-native english speakers. Trimnell also believes that native english speakers have become too dependent on the language skills of others by placing their faith in international English. What Trimnell seems to forget, is the importance of lingua franca and how critical it is to have a common language for effective Global communication. Now with the development of social networking via Facebook, Skype, Twitter and other international networking internet sites, the demand for a common language has been significantly accelerated. Where the focus should be is how to separate the two aspects- Language and Culture. It is possible to teach English without indoctrinating students with culture. I?m certainly not discounting dialects, as they will obviously influence a culture as observed in the various regions of the USA or UK; however cultures haven?t been compromised in the process. Educating non-native english speakers can be easily accomplished without a Colonial or Cultural Imperialistic approach. This fact has already been demonstrated and observed in Braj Kachru?s Outer Circle, where countries have maintained their cultural identity and haven?t compromised ethnically, while learning English. **Wikipedia source of research
