Avanneuville
Spaces and forms of power - The english language This is my last text for oral examination! Thanks if correct it :) In the notion spaces and exchanges I will talk about the english language. Indeed, english is the archetypal language of exchanges. How became the english language a such important way of communication in international exchanges? First of all, english is the official language in more than 53 countries which makes more than 380 millions native speakers. Moreover, english is the official language in the European Union, in the Commonwealth of nations, and in the United Nations Organization. English is the most learned and studied language in the world. We consider english as the international language, at least for tourism and business. There are various factor that helped to make this language such influent. Following the second world war and the strengthening of economic and political weight of the United States, the english language became a predominant language and especially in Europe. The influence of the english language increases due to the globalization of trade dominated by global powers such as the United States of America or the United Kingdom. Thus, the english language is the basis of liberal economies. Since a few years the use of english terms in other languages became very popular. Indeed, it’s a sign of modernity. The use of english language is significant in areas such as computing or telecommunication as the italian language is used for music or the french language for ballet. More and more scientific research works are written in english or translated is this language. In some non english speaking countries, english became official in a big part of the higher education. For example, in Swiss, english has become a language for some specific courses, mainly in scientific and technical faculties. However the prominency of english is quite controversial. Indeed some researchers denounce its increasing domination that they describe as a linguistic imperialism. According to them, this could leaf to hegemony (the english replaces other languages) or social selection (we must speak english to be in part of the elite). The esperanto language, for example, is one of the alternatives suggested by those who don’t want english language to be the international language. It’s also in this regard that is discerned in France the « Prix de la Carpet anglaise » intended to criticize the french personalities who made use of english unjustifiably.
Apr 27, 2015 5:02 PM
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Spaces and forms of power - The English language

This is my last text for my oral examination! Thanks for correcting it :)


Regarding the notion of spaces and exchanges, I will talk about the English language. Indeed, English is the archetypal language of exchanges. How did the English language become such an important means of communicating in international exchanges?

First of all, English is the official language in more than 53 countries, which makes more than 380 millions native speakers. Moreover, English is the official language of the European Union, in the Commonwealth of Nations, and in the United Nations Organization. English is the most learned and studied language in the world. We consider English as the international language, at least for tourism and business. There are various factors that helped to make this language so influential.

Following the Second World War and the strengthening of economic and political weight of the United States, the English language became a pre dominant language, and especially in Europe. The influence of the English language increased due to the globalization of trade dominated by global powers such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Thus, the English language is the base of liberal economies. In recent years the use of English terms in other languages has become very popular. Indeed, it’s a sign of modernity. 

The use of the English language is as significant in areas such as computing or telecommunication as the Italian language is used for music or the French language for ballet. More and more scientific research works are written in English or translated to this language. In some non-English speaking countries, English has become official for a big part of the higher education. For example, in Switzerland, English has become the language for some specific courses, mainly in scientific and technical faculties.
However, the prominence of English is quite controversial. Indeed, some researchers denounce its increasing domination, which they describe as a linguistic imperialism. According to them, this could lead to hegemony (when English replaces other languages) or social selection (we must speak English to be in part of the elite).
The Esperanto language, for example, is one of the alternatives suggested by those who don’t want the English language to be the international language.
It’s also in this regard that is discerned, in France, the « Prix de la Carpet anglaise » is intended to criticize the French personalities who make use of English unjustifiably.

April 28, 2015
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