https://www.salon.com/2011/11/06/whats_the_language_of_the_future/

What’s the language of the future? By Henry Hitchings

What’s the Language of the Future? By Henry Hitchings, outlines the history of international language, and how English is moving into this position. The article also discusses the possible outcomes of English becoming an international language, writing that native speakers will likely be left behind as bilingualism becomes a prized skill. It starts as a look into the history of widespread use of English. Hitchings writes that around the world, proficiency in English is often seen as a “symbol of modernity”, whereas native language (in this case, Arabic), is “associated with home, religion, and tradition”. We then move into a timeline of English use. British colonization resulted in widespread use of the language, often in part with the spread of English bibles and Christianity. Britain continued to colonialize the world, and bring with it settlers, and by proxy, English. There are many other languages that have been proposed as becoming a world language – easy to learn and use for communicating in business: Globish, Esperanto, Spokil, Molog, and Romanizat – just to name a few. The essay then discusses the use of English around the world as a cultural aspect – in media and entertainment.

I thought this article was very well written and raised some excellent points about the modernization of global language. Hitching’s views on the changes that are happening around the world to language is fascinating. In the final line of the article, he states that “the number of languages in the world is diminishing, the number of Englishes is increasing”. This fact comes with the globalization of language. Language is a tool, and with time, tools adapt. Around the world, English does not stay the same. English-speaking countries such as Canada, the United States, Australia, and Great Britain, speak different languages, with different vocabulary, and terms for every day items. In countries in which English is not a native language, one can only expect that English will adapt even further. Overall, the globalization of a language, particularly English, is a positive thing. Language builds borders between people, and having a common language means having an efficient means of communication.