Essay - English as a lingua franca? English is today spoken by around 1.8 billion people around the world and has progressively replaced, in recent times, French as the global lingua franca . According to David Graddol , 80% of interactions in English in the world occur between non-native speakers. This constant progression of English language is closely associated with ever-increasing globalization and its position as a language of global communication is undeniable. However, the use of English as a lingua franca is at the heart of a debate. While some agree with Voltaire, who believed that the diversity of languages was one of the biggest curses of the world, others believe that it would only aim to harm linguistic and cultural wealth. First of all, English is essential to share knowledge and galvanize commercial trade on the international scene. Not only has English already established itself as the unofficial language in many fields such as computer science, aviation and tourism, it is also dominant within many European and international institutions. Moreover, the language of Shakespeare also gives people a worldwide perspective and opens doors to the world. It is essential to travel. For example, a Chinese tourist who travels to Italy would probably use English to communicate. Furthermore, the progression of English throughout the world also allows people to access a wealth of English language culture such as music, books and films. From a social point of view, people are also convinced that English has a lingua franca would set people on an equal footing to clear up the differences of origin. Nevertheless, the omnipresence of English poses a threat to English speaking countries. In fact, the standardisation of English could suffocate national identities by putting the local languages and cultures in the shade. If the diversity is reduced, it is our entire cultural, intellectual and spiritual heritage which is impoverished. Not forgetting that the setting up of English in the world could also cause disharmony by giving birth to alliances and rejections of English-speaking countries and their common language. English language as a lingua franca can be at the heart of a major debate. It would allow the strengthening of international links and the immediate communication between peoples and cultures, instead of enlargement of the current gaps existing between them. In spite of the rise in importance of English language in all over the world, new languages like Chinese could be [...]