Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Writing in English

Writing English is as important as speaking the language. One does not have to become a veteran writer or an intellectual author, but basic English writing skills are required and preferred in almost every office job today. It is often seen that people learn to speak English very easily, but writing simple but grammatically correct English is an ordeal for many. Writing a simple, clear and error free piece in English needs constant practice. Here are some tips to help you with English composition:

 1. In the words of George Orwell, ‘Never use a long word when a short one will do.’



 2. Keep your sentences short and well-punctuated, not long and convoluted.

 3. Omit unnecessary words. There are a number of phrases in the English language that can be replaced with simple words to convey the same meaning; this should be done whenever possible. For example, the clause This is a matter which...can just as easily be written as This matter.

 4. Try to stick to the active voice, rather than the passive.

 5. The above points can be condensed into one golden rule of writing:keep it simple.Good writing is not about complexity; it is about conveying your message to the reader, which leads us to the next rule:

 6. Keep the readership in mind while writing. You need to know the type of people you are targeting. For instance, if you are writing a newsletter for a target audience that is not well read or highly qualified or won’t be able to understand complex English, then you must keep your language simple with small sentences and easy words.

 7. Avoid being overly formal. It is impersonal.

 8. Avoid multiple negatives. They often invert the intended meaning, and are difficult to untangle.

 9. Make the verb agree with the subject, not with a word in between the two. For example, The bus, with all its passengers, were about to overturn is wrong, because here the subject is the singular ‘bus’’, not the plural ‘passengers’. Hence, it should be The bus, with all its passengers, was about to overturn.

 10. Use commas to bracket those parts of the sentence that would otherwise obstruct its flow, but do not use commas to join independent clauses. The proper punctuation mark to use in this case is the semicolon.

English Writing Tips

Writing is one of the most critical English language skills. Many English learners struggle with writing error-free sentences. We have noticed some common mistakes made by learners. Here is a list of things to keep in mind while writing in English




Make sure that you do not switch tenses while conveying the same idea.

I went to my friend's house yesterday and we play football. (Incorrect)

I went to my friend's house yesterday and we played football. (Correct)

I wake up every day at 6 a.m. Then I had breakfast with my parents. (Incorrect)

I wake up every day at 6 a.m. Then I have breakfast with my parents. (Correct)


This is one of the most common errors made in written English. It is important to choose the correct word form which agrees with the subject of the sentence.

He like Chinese food. (Incorrect)

He likes Chinese food. (Correct)

Ilivesin Jaipur. (Incorrect)

I live in Jaipur. (Correct)


Since many foreign languages do not require the use of articles as much as the English language, this is another common mistake in English writing made by learners.

I saw movie yesterday. (Incorrect)

I saw a movie yesterday. (Correct)

He liked book written by my father. (Incorrect)

He liked the book written by my father. (Correct)


The first word of a sentence and proper nouns usually start with capital letters.

he needs to see a Doctor. (Incorrect)

He needs to see a doctor. (Incorrect)

Will you meet amit tomorrow? (Incorrect)

Will you meet Amit tomorrow? (Correct)


There are some words in English which have confusing spellings. It is important to use spell-check to avoid unnecessary mistakes.

The principle of the school asked the students to keep quiet. (Incorrect)

The principal of the school asked the students to keep quiet. (Correct)

The bus was stationery for a long time. (Incorrect)

The bus was stationary for a long time. (Correct)


Some English learners find it confusing to place adverbs correctly within a sentence.

I go to the library on Thursday usually. (Incorrect)

I usually go to the library on Thursday. (Correct)

My son everyday goes to school. (Incorrect)

My son goes to school every day. (Correct)


There are no rules to ascertain which preposition will follow a particular adjective. Therefore, the incorrect use of prepositions is a common thread in the writings of English learners.

I am allergic of roses. (Incorrect)

I am allergic to roses. (Correct)

He is accused for theft. (Incorrect)

He is accused of theft. (Correct)


'I' and 'me' are both personal pronouns and are often used incorrectly.

My friends and me went to Paris. (Incorrect)

My friends and I went to Paris. (Correct)

She came from Rome to meet I. (Incorrect)

She came from Rome to meet me. (Correct)


There are two rules that need to be taken care of while making the comparative and superlative form of adjectives.

He is more tall than me. (Incorrect)

He is taller than me. (Correct)

She is the beautifullestgirl in the class. (Incorrect)

She is the most beautiful girl in the class. (Correct)


In English, possession can be shown by using possessive nouns and pronouns.

I went to my parents's house. (Incorrect)

I went to my parents' house. (Correct)

This book is her. (Incorrect)

This book is hers. (Correct)

These are a few mistakes that are often committed by the learners of the English language while writing. By keeping a note of these pointers, the learners can very easily overcome the mistakes they make in written English. Remember to write regularly to improve your writing skills.

Spoken English Exercises

Talking crisp and clear English is a huge a part of learning the English language. It no longer only complements the scope of verbal exchange however additionally augments the opportunity of having a very good task. These days, maximum employers look for manpower with intermediate to professional English abilities – each oral and written. However as English is taken into consideration to be the maximum widely used language for formal communications, extra emphasis is positioned upon spoken English abilities than writing abilities. This means that it is vital to broaden and grasp speaking English, in order that it goes a long way in shaping your profession.



 There are many components that need attention whilst we speak approximately spoken English. Accomplishing fluency, growing vocabulary and learning the best pronunciation/diction are some main factors that want to be recognised in this regard. The satisfactory way to do this is through practising some of Spoken English physical games which might be amusing and clean to do.

 Some of the most not unusual physical games and activities to enhance spoken English are summarised under:

 Analysing  newspapers, books, magazines, dictionary, and so on. Aloud : Make it a dependency to study either a newspaper, magazine or a eBook of your choice every day. The first component is to ‘study’ and the second component is to ‘study aloud’. At the same time as the primary component will build the inventory of phrases and understanding of modern-day affairs, the second one part will assist to learn and enhance the pronunciation of various phrases. Don’t be shy; you do no longer, necessarily, should examine in front of anybody. You could do that in the front of a mirror and check your diction yourself.

 Playing phrase games that assist stretch mouth and tongue muscle tissue : Tongue twisters help to familiarise the tongue with comparable and identical sounding phrases and flexes the mouth muscle tissues. Beginning the mouth well even as speaking is very crucial. This provides accent and readability to speech and prevents words from getting jumbled up inside the mouth. As an instance:

 A twit who tweeted on twitter two times twittered a tweet to a twitter er.

 OR

 I idea a concept however the idea I notion wasn't the notion I idea I thought.

 Listening : listen to English information channels daily, watch English films or shows and concentrate to English songs to acquire accurate diction and understand numerous accents. You may be in a position to talk properly simplest when you concentrate properly and get the pronunciations right.

 Correcting diction by recording your voice : you may report your very own voice and listen to your pronunciation. The focal point stays mainly at the grammar and the choice of words whilst talking. Therefore, to accurate your diction and ascertain your vulnerable factors in spoken English, you want to pay attention for your own self speaking. This could also help in enhancing the amount of stress and type of tone required to speak distinctive words.

 Working towards talking by using talking greater : Don’t lose an opportunity to speak in English. Make it a point to talk in English, each time and wherever possible. Name friends up and interact with them in English. Try to use the brand new phrases that you analyse from your day by day readings. You can also speak in your dad and mom and siblings in English, if viable. This could also help in making wondering in English your 2nd nature; beautify your fluency and confidence to talk in English publicly.

 Playing video games on public speaking : Public talking bolsters confidence. Try to play video games together with your buddies that involve giving brief speeches on various subjects. Take part in class or institution presentations to cast off the concern involved in speaking English in the front of a huge target market. You could to begin with practice speak me in front of a replicate in your room. This can assist you to be aware your frame language, voice tone and facial expressions, and in flip will put together you to speak fluently in public.

 Listening to English songs and study the lyrics aloud : taking note of English songs can be taken into consideration a form of accessory education. It facilitates in information varied accents. You can use sub titles inside the starting. After you memorise the lyrics, you may read them aloud to your very own. This will assist in making improvements to pronunciation.

 Gambling word games : phrase games like Scrabble introduce new phrases and consequently boom the vocabulary. Video games on figuring out Idioms and Proverbs can also be played to learn and familiarise oneself with them. This will help you in getting to know an expansion of expressions and describing specific situations, whilst you speak. The more know-how of words you've got, the higher it's far for you whilst speaking.

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Silent Letters in English

These are those letters in words which are not pronounced when we say the word. In other words, these letters or alphabets are written when spelling the word but not said out loud verbally. This is mainly because of the changes in pronunciation that the English language has seen over the centuries, in olden times the silent letters used to be pronounced and the spellings also varied greatly. On this page we have listed out the different types of silent alphabets and examples of the words they are used in.



The alphabet ‘B’ is not pronounced when it comes after ‘M’ in a word
- Climb
- Plumber
- Tomb
- Comb
'C' is not pronounced in words like
- Muscle
- Scissors
- Acquire
'D' is not pronounced in words like:
- Sandwich
- Wednesday
- Edge
The alphabet is not pronounced when it comes before ‘N’ or ‘M’
- Gnat
- Diaphragm
'GH' is not pronounced before 'T' and at the end of many words
- Rough
- Through
- Alight
- Light
- Borough
‘H’ is not pronounced when it comes after ‘W’
- Why
- Whether
- Where
Sometimes the ‘H’ is silent for some words, even when it is the first letter of the word
- Hour
- Heir
‘H’ is not pronounced when it comes before ‘Y’
- Thyme
- Rhyme
Whenever ‘K’ is followed by an ‘N’ at the beginning of a word, ‘K’ is not pronounced
- Knot
- Knight
- Knock
- Knowledge
‘L’ stays silent in most words when it comes before ‘D’,’ F’, ‘M’, ‘K’.
- Yolk
- Half
- Calm
- Talk
Should
‘N’ is not pronounced when it follows ‘M’ in a word
- Autumn
- Column
‘P’ remains silent when it starts a word and is followed by ‘sy’ or ‘ne’
- Pneumonia
- Psychotic
‘P’ is also not pronounced in certain words like
- Psalm
- Receipt
We usually avoid pronouncing ‘S’ when it comes before ‘L’ in words like
- Island
- Aisle
‘T’ is not pronounced in words like
- Castle
- Beret
- Listen
- Depot
- Whistle
- Gourmet
‘U’ is not pronounced in words when it comes after ‘G’ and is followed by a vowel
- Guess
- Colleague
- Guitar
- Tongue
We avoid pronouncing ‘W’ when it begins a word and is followed by ‘R’
- Wrist
- Write
- Wrong
‘W’ is not pronounced in these three pronouns
- Who
- Whose
- Whom
It is also avoided in words like
- Two
- Sword
- Answer
‘X’ is not pronounced in most words that have come from the French language
- Faux Pas
- Bordeaux
Silent Z
‘Z’ remains silent in the word

Learn English Pronunciation

Pronunciation can be a tricky matter when it comes to the English language. Unlike with languages like Hindi and Tamil, letters in English take on multiple phonetic forms (think of the a in‘can’and the a in‘war’); thus, the concept of pronouncing a word the way it is spelled does not apply. This is partly the result of derivation; English is a derivative language. It means that many of its words and phrases have been borrowed from other languages (cafe, boutique, cocoa).



 The unpredictability that results from being a derivative language, makes pronunciation in English difficult to master. A written course is possibly the least helpful way to go about it. It is through continued contact with English speakers and practice that one’s pronunciation improves. Watching English-language films, TV shows, and news channels is also very useful. Both methods, however, require conscious effort. One must pay close attention while conversing with someone who is fluent and while watching English-language film or TV productions, and through practice, make correct-sounding speech a matter of habit.

 There are, however, some guidelines that we can provide on pronunciation that should help in giving you an idea of the contours of spoken English:


 Usually pronounced like the ‘b’ in ‘big’. However, in words ending with ‘-mb’, such as comb, plumb, numb, bomb, etc, the ‘b’ is silent.  C

 Usually pronounced like ‘k’, as in ‘cat’. However, ‘c’ takes on the sound of ‘s’ when it precedes ‘e’, ‘i’ or ‘y’, as in ceiling, cistern, cynic, etc.   -dge

 Usually pronounced like ‘j’, as in ‘bridge’.   G

 Usually pronounced as in ‘go’. However, before ‘e’, ‘i’ or ‘y’, ‘g’ is often pronounced like ‘j’, as in germ, ginger, gyrate, etc.  -gh

 In some words, ‘-gh’ is pronounced like ‘f’, as in laugh. However, in some words it is silent, as in high.  H

 For example, ‘head’. However, in a few words, the ‘h’ is silent, as in hour, honour, etc.  K

 Generally pronounced like the ‘c’ in ‘cat’. However, when followed by ‘n’, it is usually silent, as in knife, knave, knight, etc.  L

 Generally pronounced as in ‘leaf’. However, in a few words, the ‘l’ is silent, especially when followed by ‘k’ and ‘f’, as in talk, walk, half, calf, etc.  S

 Generally pronounced as in ‘sun’. However, in some words ‘s’ is pronounced like ‘z’, as in nose, president, etc. In a few words, such as television and azure, ‘s’ takes on a sound generally represented phonetically as ‘zh’.  Th

 Generally aspirated, ie, let out with a puff of air, as in think, third, etc. However, in some words, such as this, ‘th’ is not aspirated.  X

 Usually pronounced like in box(the sound is–ks). However, when it is the first letter of a word, x is pronounced like ‘z’.  Y

 Generally pronounced as in yesterday. In some words, it takes on the sound ‘ee’, as in city. In yet other words, it takes on the sound ‘ai’, as in fly. 


 A

 Before two consonants, ‘a’ is pronounced as in sand. This also applies when it appears before a single consonant at the end of a word, as in fan.

 Before a single consonant followed by a vowel, ‘a’ is usually pronounced as in ate (the sound is ey).

 Before ‘l’ and after ‘q’ and ‘w’, ‘a’ is usually pronounced as in call(the sound is like ‘aw’). Other examples are squash and wall.  E

 Before two consonants and before a single consonant at the end of a word, ‘e’ is usually pronounced as in desk or ten. This also applies when ‘e’ appears before a single consonant followed by a vowel (ever), although sometimes ‘e’ is pronounced ‘ee’ in such cases, as in even.

 At the end of a word, ‘e’ is usually silent, as in ate ,fate, etc; however, at the end of very short words, ‘e’ usually takes on the sound ‘ee’, as in be.  I

 Before two consonants and before a single consonant at the end of a word, ‘i’ is usually pronounced as in fit or fill. However, in some cases, before two consonants, ‘i’ takes on the ‘ai’ sound (rhymes with eye). For example,wild.

 Before a single consonant followed by a vowel, ‘i’ generally takes on the ‘ai’ sound, as in eye and tire.  O

 Before two consonants in some words and before a single consonant at the end of a word, ‘o’ takes on the sound ‘aw’, as in rock and not.

 In other words, it is pronounced ‘oh’ when it appears before two consonants, as in bolt.

 The same applies when it precedes a single consonant followed by a vowel.  U

 Before two consonants and before a consonant at the end of a word, ‘u’ usually takes on either the short ‘oo’ sound, as in pull and put, or the blunt ‘uh’, as in duck and jut. Before a single consonant followed by a vowel, ‘u’ takes on the long ‘oo’ sound, as in June.

English Speaking

Talking English is a undertaking for any learner of the language, mainly when they’re not properly ready with the vocabulary and the grammar. But, those are obstacles which could without difficulty be crossed with a bit bit of effort and participation.




 The first step to getting to know is realising the fact that learning the English language have to no longer be a duty or chore for you; it need to be taken as a charming hobby that will help you to expand your horizons in many aspects of your lifestyles. Don’t take studying as a challenge; as an alternative revel in it, and also you’ll be able to overcome such boundaries without problems.

 One of the maximum crucial components of improving spoken English is to have an extensive vocabulary so that you may want to explicit your thoughts without a doubt and easily. Having a good inventory of phrases might assist you to be greater specific with your production and greater articulate with your speech.

 But, best the understanding of vocabulary gained’t be sufficient in enhancing your speaking talents. Your sentences might not make sense if you simply do a literal translation of phrases from your native language into English, with out assisting it with right grammar that ought to go along with it. Consequently, having information of primary grammar is every other very necessary element of improving spoken English.

 It isn't always essential to have an notably certain know-how of grammar for speaking fluent English. In fact, speak me in definitely correct grammar can also every so often result in awkwardness in informal and casual conferences or talks. So, in case you are not looking to improve your spoken English for paintings-associated functions, simply having a fundamental hold close of grammar could be enough to get you commenced.

 As soon as you have the grammar and the phrases required, the subsequent step is to be able to bring them to others in a assured and clean manner. For this, you want to consider in your self, as well as know your boundaries on the equal time. Even as you achieve the blessings of your getting to know, also do recognize your barriers in terms of talking. A simple trick is to preserve the sentences short and easy. Additionally, do no longer hesitate to invite the alternative people for explanation in case you do no longer apprehend them otherwise you yourself are stuck on a phrase or  within the center, and want a few help.

 Keep in mind that English, much like any other language, may additionally convey multiple which means in its spoken phrases. A sentence will be idiomatic or sarcastic or thinking, and many others., so that you need to be aware of specific tones and pressure points to get clues about the hidden meanings. This observational hobby would additionally put together you to utilise what you examine from here in your future conversations.

 Ultimate however not the least, preserve practising.– talking English your self as a lot as you could and seeking to recognise the distinct accents of native English speakers are  things that could take you a protracted manner in retaining what you learnt in addition to improving your spoken English abilities. Watch English movies, news channels, soap operas, and many others. To hear crisp English diction and absorb the distinct sorts of pronunciations. File yourself having a communique and examine it with a native speaker’s diction, so you can realise your grey regions and act upon them.

 Remember the fact that while you're a learner, you still need to comply with social norms. Be well mannered and respectful whilst talking to others. If you are not positive about an appropriate methods to cope with human beings and reply to them in English, make an effort out and examine the essential terms and words earlier than you step out into the sector.

 Once you begin following those recommendations religiously and talking in English often, you will without a doubt be aware a large development on your spoken English skills!

Improve Spoken English

The English language is spoken in many nations such as India. Speaking the language fluently lets in one to sense confident while communicating or interacting with specific people. Now not being fluent in English frequently leads to embarrassing conditions for us; we feel uncertain of ourselves and that most effective makes things worse. Here are a few approaches that may assist conquer the concern, and become assured in talking English:



Ever puzzled why you are so fluent along with your mother tongue? It's miles due to the fact you communicate and listen the language more regularly. What does this endorse? The primary and the most critical step to improve spoken English is to speak it as regularly as you could. Communicate in English with buddies, family, family, etc. Don't worry approximately making errors. In reality, inspire human beings round you to correct you as regularly as they can. This will assist you communicate accurate English and raise your confidence.

Feeling beneath assured forces us to speak rapidly due to the fact we stumble with words or sense unsure approximately the pronunciation. Do not permit this appear, it shows anxiety and the alternative character will struggle to recognise what you are saying. Communicate at a at ease pace and pronounce your phrases efficaciously. There’s is not any purpose to feel shy or intimidated. We all make errors and the handiest way to research is to exercise and have others accurate us.

Use a dictionary to learn new words or to find out the that means of a phrase you could have heard. Make a listing and use those words as often as you could.

Read books, newspapers and magazines. This may allow you to apprehend the language better and assist you study new words to widen your vocabulary.

watch English films, ideally with subtitles. This, too, will useful resource you in expertise the language better.

Examine one article out aloud every day, and if possible ask a person to listen and accurate you. Attention on velocity, readability and correct pronunciation.

Document your personal voice and pay attention to it. This may assist you benefit confidence and paintings on your mistakes.

Attempt to find a associate who's also interested by enhancing his/her spoken English. Practice collectively, accurate each other and study collectively.

Assume in English, in place of translating sentences from other languages which you’re familiar with. Doing this results in grammatical errors and deteriorates the pleasant of your spoken English.

Be part of an online English mastering path. This sort of programme affords you with the proper content material and opportunities to exercise with other users. Besides this, your solutions are corrected and right feedback is furnished.

10 Tips for speaking English

1. The primary factor i might do after you have up each morning become to study the newspaper, front to lower back. It doesn’t count number which newspaper you enroll in, as long as it's far a main English-language paper, which includes The Hindu, The times of India, Hindustan instances, The Indian specific, etc. At the same time as specific human beings have different opinions on the best of each paper, they are all greater or much less similarly beneficial in attending to learn the language. It's also now not essential to study each page and article; it is time-ingesting and, every now and then, boring. But, you ought to maximum truly search for articles that hobby you.



 2. I bought a pocket dictionary. They may be reasonably-priced, compact and useful. There have been many phrases I got here throughout on a everyday foundation that I did not recognize, and sporting a pocket dictionary anywhere allowed me to look up these words immediately in order that the matter might now not slip off my mind later.

3. As soon as found out, I additionally made a aware effort to use the phrases in conversation. This instilled the words in my head and i used to be capable of draw on them each time required.

4. I satisfied some of my buddies to come back collectively and shape something of a ‘examine organisation’; we had been all interested by mastering English, and i figured it might make it less difficult and extra fun for us to do it together. We met twice every week in the nighttime and discussed the phrases and phrases we had come upon, recommended articles, magazines, and books to each other, and many others.

5. Any other aspect my organization of buddies and i stored in mind was the significance of speaking best in English, on every occasion viable. All through our weekly conferences, now not a word of Hindi (the simplest different language any of us spoke) turned into uttered. This form of dedication is sincerely essential in case you need to develop fluency.

 6. More than one weeks into my learning revel in, a friend talked about the difficulty of language of mind in the course of certainly one of our conferences. This, too, is an exciting issue of 1’s linguistic foundations: what language do you believe you studied in? I realised that I idea in Hindi, and thus on every occasion I spoke in English, i used to be, in a way, translating in my head. This made the entire manner slower and extra laborious. So I determined to start making a conscious effort to assume in English. When I spoke in Hindi, i used to be regularly looking to figure out ahead what the phrase would be in English earlier than I said it. This takes some being used to, however quickly you may locate it becoming a second nature; the phrases will come faster and easier then.

 7. I made it a point to choose up at the least one English e-book a month. I can't pressure the importance of this sufficient; books introduce you to the opportunities of the language, disclose you to the various ways in which words may be manipulated and performed round with. Your vocabulary of words, terms, colloquialisms, and many others. Will boom sharply this way. Also, reading develops thinking, i.e., as you read, you mechanically begin to think extra in the language that your studying material is written in.

 Eight. Every night i'd watch an English information channel (NDTV, Headlines today, CNN-IBN, and so on.) For at least half an hour. The news anchors and journalists generally talk very crisp and proper English. It is also useful to observe English television shows.

 9. My friends and i might lease the DVD of an English movie every week, and watch it with the subtitles on. This way, you can usually make out what the actors are saying, and the context of the movie allows you recognize what strange terms might mean.

 10. I advanced the dependancy of paying close interest on every occasion i used to be within listening distance of a verbal exchange in English. This could seem like eavesdropping, but when a person is talking loud sufficient in public for others to listen her or him, it is not going that anything very private is being discussed. As a minimum, I defended my exercise with that intent, because it helped me choose up not unusual terms on a day by day foundation

Spoken English Tips

The following tips helped me improve my spoken English and overcome my hesitation in the language. Hope they are useful for you too.

Don’t worry about making mistakes because you will make mistakes as a learner.





Learn certain phrases that can be used in multiple situations.

Learn how to greet someone properly.

Talk slowly and carefully. Don’t rush through your sentences.

Restrict yourself to simple sentences until you gain confidence.

Watch out for your pronunciation. Many online tools will tell you how to pronounce a word correctly. Check one of them out when you’re in doubt.

Carefully observe how proficient speakers of the language pronounce words and frame their sentences.

Ask your friends, relatives and anyone you can to point out your mistakes and correct them.

Speak to them in English only. Practice is a must.

Record yourself reading one article aloud every day. Focus on pronunciation, speed, clarity and emphasis.

Many online sites offer you the opportunity to voice chat with another user. This is an effective way to practice.

Learn at least one new word every day and use it as a part of your conversation with people. By the end of the week, you should know seven words really well.

Learn new words everyday

Read at least one article of your choice aloud every day.

Watch English movies with subtitles.


Read books and magazines.

Keep a pocket dictionary handy for any word you may need to know the meaning of.

When you hear a new word, try to find its usage and its antonyms.

Monday, 29 August 2016

Is English a Global Language?

As can be seen in more detail in the section on English Today, on almost any basis, English is the nearest thing there has ever been to a global language. Its worldwide reach is much greater than anything achieved historically by Latin or French, and there has never been a language as widely spoken as English. Many would reasonably claim that, in the fields of business, academics, science, computing, education, transportation, politics and entertainment, English is already established as the de facto lingua franca.



The UN, the nearest thing we have, or have ever had, to a global community, currently uses five official languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese, and an estimated 85% of international organizations have English as at least one of their official languages (French comes next with less than 50%). Even more starkly, though, about one third of international organizations (including OPEC, EFTA and ASEAN) use English only, and this figure rises to almost 90% among Asian international organizations.

As we have seen, a global language arises mainly due to the political and economic power of its native speakers. It was British imperial and industrial power that sent English around the globe between the 17th and 20th Century. The legacy of British imperialism has left many counties with the language thoroughly institutionalized in their courts, parliament, civil service, schools and higher education establishments. In other counties, English provides a neutral means of communication between different ethnic groups.

But it has been largely American economic and cultural supremacy - in music, film and television; business and finance; computing, information technology and the Internet; even drugs and pornography - that has consolidated the position of the English language and continues to maintain it today. American dominance and influence worldwide makes English crucially important for developing international markets, especially in the areas of tourism and advertising, and mastery of English also provides access to scientific, technological and academic resources which would otherwise be denied developing countries.

Is a Global Language Necessarily “A Good Thing”?

While its advantages are self-evident, there are some legitimate concerns that a dominant global language could also have some built-in drawbacks. Among these may be the following:

There is a risk that the increased adoption of a global language may lead to the weakening and eventually the disappearance of some minority languages (and, ultimately, it is feared, ALL other languages). It is estimated that up to 80% of the world’s 6,000 or so living languages may die out within the next century, and some commentators believe that a too-dominant global language may be a major contributing factor in this trend. However, it seem likely that this is really only a direct threat in areas where the global language is the natural first language (e.g. North America, Australia, Celtic parts of Britain, etc). Conversely, there is also some evidence that the very threat of subjugation by a dominant language can actually galvanise and strengthen movements to support and protect minority languages (e.g. Welsh in Wales, French in Canada).



There is concern that natural speakers of the global language may be at an unfair advantage over those who are operating in their second, or even third, language.

The insistence on one language to the exclusion of others may also be seen as a threat to freedom of speech and to the ideals of multiculturalism.

Another potential pitfall is linguistic complacency on the part of natural speakers of a global language, a laziness and arrogance resulting from the lack of motivation to learn other languages. Arguably, this can already be observed in many Britons and Americans.

Why is a Global Language Needed?

It is often argued that the modern “global village” needs a “global language”, and that (particularly in a world of modern communications, globalised trade and easy international travel) a single lingua franca has never been more important. With the advent since 1945 of large international bodies such as the United Nations and its various offshoots - the UN now has over 50 different agencies and programs from the World Bank, World Health Organisation and UNICEF to more obscure arms like the Universal Postal Union - as well as collective organisations such as the Commonwealth and the European Union, the pressure to establish a worldwide lingua franca has never been greater. As just one example of why a lingua franca is useful, consider that up to one-third of the administration costs of the European Community is taken up by translations into the various member languages.



Some have seen a planned or constructed language as a solution to this need. In the short period between 1880 and 1907, no less than 53 such “universal artificial languages” were developed. By 1889, the constructed language Volapük claimed nearly a million adherents, although it is all but unknown to day. Today the best known is Esperanto, a deliberately simplified language, with just 16 rules, no definite articles, no irregular endings and no illogical spellings. A sentence like “It is often argued that the modern world needs a common language with which to communicate” would be rendered in Esperanto as “Oni ofte argumentas ke la moderna mondo bezonas komuna linguon por komunikado”, not difficult to understand for anyone with even a smattering of Romance languages.

Many of these universal languages (including Esperanto) were specifically developed with the view in mind that a single world language would automatically lead to world peace and unity. Setting aside for now the fact that such languages have never gained much traction, it has to be said this assumption is not necessarily well-founded. For instance, historically, many wars have broken out within communities of the same language (e.g. the British and American Civil Wars, the Spanish Civil War, Vietnam, former Yugoslavia, etc) and, on the other hand, the citizens of some countries with multiple languages (e.g. Switzerland, Canada, Singapore, etc) manage to coexist, on the whole, quite peaceably.

What is a Global Language?

There is no official meaning of "worldwide" or "world" dialect, yet it basically alludes to a dialect that is found out and talked universally, and is described not just by the quantity of its local and second dialect speakers, additionally by its geological dispersion, and its utilisation in global associations and in discretionary relations. A worldwide dialect goes about as a "most widely used language", a typical dialect that empowers individuals from various foundations and ethnicity to convey on a pretty much impartial premise. 





Generally, the fundamental component for the foundation of a worldwide dialect is that it is talked by the individuals who use power. Latin was the most widely used language of now is the right time, in spite of the fact that it was just ever a minority dialect inside the Roman Empire all in all. Urgently, however, it was the dialect of the intense pioneers and directors and of the Roman military - and, later, of the ministerial force of the Roman Catholic Church - and this is the thing that drove its ascent to (seemingly) worldwide dialect status. Along these lines, dialect can be said to have no free presence of its own, and a specific dialect just overwhelms when its speakers command (and, by augmentation, falls flat when the general population who talk it come up short). 

The impact of any dialect is a blend of three principle things: the quantity of nations utilising it as their first dialect or primary language, the quantity of nations embracing it as their official dialect, and the quantity of nations showing it as their remote dialect of decision in schools. The inherent auxiliary characteristics of a dialect, the measure of its vocabulary, the nature of its writing all through history, and its relationship with incredible societies or religions, are exceptionally essential components in the fame of any dialect. In any case, at base, history demonstrates to us that a dialect turns into a worldwide dialect for the most part because of the political force of its local speakers, and the monetary force with which it can keep up and grow its position.