With increasing economic globalization comes increasing concern about the interaction of different languages on an international scale. While many aim to preserve minority languages on cultural grounds, language is also an economic asset. Rogerson-Revell (2007), of the Centre for English Language Teacher Education and Applied Linguistics at University of Leicester, acknowledged that English is now largely accepted as a lingua franca, used to communicate internationally, and originally spread by commerce. A lingua franca is, in the strictest sense, a language with no native speakers used by those with different languages. Some broader terms, such as English as an International Language, Global English, and International English, have been proposed,
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Zhang and Grenier (2012), in a paper from the Economics Department at the University of Ottawa, observed, “factors such as the development of science and technology, the emergence of political, economic and cultural powers, and social changes tend to reduce the number of lingua francae over time,” (pp. 9-10) and cited English as the current lingua franca. Rogerson-Revell (2007) echoed this view, giving support to the dominance of English by many means. Additionally, Bruthiaux (2003), of the English Department at the University of Texas A&M, analyzed population growth patterns in the United States and Europe, finding that projected growth in American population will lead to the further growth of the economy and spread of the English language that comes with it. Specifically, Bruthiaux (2003) used patterns in population growth, combined with immigration projections from the Census Bureau, to predict that by 2050, the United States population would be 550 million, compared with only 360 million in Europe. Bruthiaux (2003) asserted that, due to these patterns, American business practices and consumer trends will spread, along with “US English as a norm-setting variety” (p. 88). This dominant role of English in the international economy parallels the use of the US dollar in international transactions as a “vehicle currency” (Ku & Zussman 2010, p. …show more content…
There are many barriers to teaching English internationally. Baldauf, Kaplan, and Kamwangamalu (2010), experienced in education, linguistics, and English, respectively, examined the success of Asian primary schools in teaching English as a foreign language. Although they recognize the importance of English in making their students globally competitive, Asian governments often have trouble implementing English education, due to lack of resources. In rural schools especially, which tend to have low socioeconomic status, poor infrastructure, and poor access to teaching resources, it is difficult to teach
Zhang and Grenier (2012), in a paper from the Economics Department at the University of Ottawa, observed, “factors such as the development of science and technology, the emergence of political, economic and cultural powers, and social changes tend to reduce the number of lingua francae over time,” (pp. 9-10) and cited English as the current lingua franca. Rogerson-Revell (2007) echoed this view, giving support to the dominance of English by many means. Additionally, Bruthiaux (2003), of the English Department at the University of Texas A&M, analyzed population growth patterns in the United States and Europe, finding that projected growth in American population will lead to the further growth of the economy and spread of the English language that comes with it. Specifically, Bruthiaux (2003) used patterns in population growth, combined with immigration projections from the Census Bureau, to predict that by 2050, the United States population would be 550 million, compared with only 360 million in Europe. Bruthiaux (2003) asserted that, due to these patterns, American business practices and consumer trends will spread, along with “US English as a norm-setting variety” (p. 88). This dominant role of English in the international economy parallels the use of the US dollar in international transactions as a “vehicle currency” (Ku & Zussman 2010, p. …show more content…
There are many barriers to teaching English internationally. Baldauf, Kaplan, and Kamwangamalu (2010), experienced in education, linguistics, and English, respectively, examined the success of Asian primary schools in teaching English as a foreign language. Although they recognize the importance of English in making their students globally competitive, Asian governments often have trouble implementing English education, due to lack of resources. In rural schools especially, which tend to have low socioeconomic status, poor infrastructure, and poor access to teaching resources, it is difficult to teach