1 Global Language How English became an international language By Francis Talbot (Dip. Eng. Tech; MA Applied Language Studies; PhD; University of Westhampton

2 What is a global language? A common language (or lingua franca) of communication in a global society The language continuum: Local language → intranational language → regional language → global language East African example: Kikuyu → English → Swahili → English

3 How does a language become global? conquest trade migration introduction of new channels of communication e.g. IT expansion diffusion

4 The English-Speaking World

5 ‘ British political imperialism had sent English around the globe, during the nineteenth century, so that it was a ‘language on which the sun never sets’. During the twentieth century, this world presence was maintained and promoted, almost single-handedly, through the economic supremacy of the new American superpower. And the language behind the US dollar was English’ (Crystal, 1997)

6 The current status of English 1,400 m. peoples were English have ‘official’ status 1 bilion people learning English as second or foreign lang. ( British Council English 2002 ) 1,200-1,500 millions native/near-native speakers (probably figure) ( Crystal, D 1997 )