English as the World Language

English as the World Language
The dominance of English in the contemporary world is explained by the appearance of lots of people who want to learn English not for pleasure or prestige but because English has become the key to international scientific, technological and commercial innovations of today.
Previously the reason for learning any foreign language was not well defined. Knowledge of foreign languages was regarded as a sign of a well-rounded education, but few had really questioned why it was necessary. Foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time when the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge. People who speak English fall into one of three groups: those who have learnt it as their native language, those who have learnt it as
a second language in a society which is mainly bilingual and those who are force to use it for a practical purpose - professional or educational. In
a number of speakers (400 million) it is second only to Mandarin Chinese.
The total knowledge of mankind doubles every seven years. English is needed as the main and the most efficient means of information exchange. With the acceptance of English as the international language of technology and commerce a new generation of people appears who know why they are learning the language. Some people learn foreign languages because they need them in their work, others travel abroad, for the third studying languages is a hobby. A modern engineer or even a worker cannot work with an imported instrument or a machine if he is not able to read the instruction how to do it. Ordinary people need language to translation the instruction or the manual to the washing-machine or a vacuum-cleaner, medicine or even food-products. Scientists and scholars need it to keep up with developments in their fields. Many students need English because their course of studies includes textbooks available only in English. Young
people around the world need English in order to be able to use the Internet, communicate with their partners in other countries, and understand films and songs. Every year thousands of people go to different countries as tourists or to work. They cannot go without knowing the language of the country they are going to.
As for basic characteristics of English there are following:
1. Simplicity of form. Old English, Greek, had many inflections to show singular and plural, tense, person, etc., but over the centuries words have been simplified. Verbs now have very few inflections, and adjectives do not change according to the noun.
2. Flexibility. As a result of the loss of inflections, English has become, over the past five centuries, a very flexible language. Without inflections, the same word can operate as many different parts of speech, many nouns and verbs have the same form, for example work, phone, answer, visit, and watch. Adjectives also can be used as verbs: warm and to warm, clean and to clean.
3. Openness of vocabulary. This involves the free admission of words from other languages and the easy creation of compounds and derivatives. Most world languages have contributed some words to English at some time, and the process is now being reversed. Purists of the French,
Russian, and Japanese languages are resisting the arrival of English in their vocabulary.
4. The future of English. Geographically, English is the most widespread language on Earth. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organizations. It is the language of literature, education, modern music, international tourism,
science, trade and cultural relations, aviation, and international sport. It is also the major language of diplomacy. This will no doubt continue,
although the opinion that all other languages will die out is absurd.
1) Today English is the language of the world. 2) It is only in the course of the last hundred years that English has become a world language. 3) In Shakespeare's time it was a «provincial» language of secondary importance with only 6 million native speakers. 4) Nowadays over 1 billion people speak it as a mother tongue.
5) English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the United States of America, of Australia and New Zealand. 6) It is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic.
7) English is also spoken as a second language in the former British and US colonies. 8) In a number of speakers (400 million) it is third to Chinese and Spanish.
9) English is the major international language of communication in such areas as science, technology and business. 10) It is the language of literature, education, modem music, and international tourism. 11) English is the major language of diplomacy, it is one of the official languages of the United Nation organization and other political organizations.
12) Russia is integrating into the world community and the problem of learning English for the purpose of communication is especially urgent today.
13) One should say that English is not an easy language to learn. 14) There is a big problem of spelling, of the large number of exceptions to any rule. 15) This language is very idiomatic and the prepositions are terrible. 16) English is one of those languages which may seem easy in the beginning, but then the bridge between basic knowledge and mastery takes a long time to cross. 17) But if you cross this bridge it will give you great satisfaction. 18) You will be able to speak to people from other countries, to read foreign authors in the original, which makes your outlook wider. 19) To know English today is absolutely necessary for every educated man, for every good specialist.