LANGUAGE
What Makes a Global Language?
Until recently, a global language was thought to be impossible. However, English has proven to be a strong contender.
The relatively new emergence of English as a global language is quite incredible and marks a new age of language that we have not seen since before the Tower of Babble. However, the parameters one uses to classify global languages differ largely between researchers.
These varying perspectives are what make it difficult to nail down the criteria to be used in classifying language. Regardless, there are indisputable requirements a language needs to meet to become a tool for international communication.
The process of claiming the title of a global language is no small feat and cannot be credited to one individual event, idea, or person. English is no exception. English was just at the right place at the right time to transform into the widespread “sensation” it is today.
One might think the title of a global language solely depends on the number of native speakers; however, it is much more dependent on the political and economic strength of the speakers.
Simple grammatical structure is also commonly misnamed as one of the main reasons a language can enter the global stage. This can be easily disproven by observing other languages that have historically been recognized as international languages. Languages such as Latin and French are widely known to be more difficult grammatically, but this clearly has not diminished their prominence.
English, in fact, is the most easily recognizable global language, but other languages have served similar functions in the past. For example, Latin was known as the global language of its time due to the power and diffusion of the Roman Empire. Latin prevailed for hundreds of years following Roman rule and eventually transitioned into Latin as we know it.
The United Nations was founded in 1945 with five official languages: English, Russian, Spanish, French, and Chinese. (Arabic was added in 1973). These six languages continue to be the primary working languages in world diplomacy. This simple fact clearly shows that there were, and still are, other languages that can be classified as international languages and are imperative in a diplomatic environment.
The parameters used to classify a global language are not an exact science, but the standout requirement is linked to the economy, governmental, and social power of the speakers of the language. One example is the spread of Spanish throughout its colonial empire.
Prior to 1492, the Spanish language had no place in the New World. For better or for worse, after the “discovery” of the Americas, Spanish powers made their presence known. A short 500 years later, the vast majority of countries in the Americas speak Spanish.
Another measure that is incredibly important in determining the reason a language becomes international is its translational power. Several global language networks have been developed and clearly represent how many translations will be required to move from one language to another. This is important because a small number of languages hold the entire web together, and if they were removed, the web would collapse. This is one of the most important factors in considering global languages as these few primary languages have become the key to communication between other more obscure languages.
The technological revolution has basically transformed every aspect of how the general population lives their lives. It also jump-started English as the global language of not only economy and diplomacy, but also in pop culture.
In the age of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Netflix, much of the content consumed throughout the world is in English. This has only increased the desire for young people to learn English as a medium of communicating with other young people in the world, and to have the ability to participate in a larger amount of Internet content.
In addition, as seen in classrooms all around the world due to COVID-19, virtual learning has been brought to new heights, especially in language learning. This revolutionary technology in language learning will be a concept that is not disappearing anytime soon and will continue to evolve for years to come.
English still has a way to go before it obtains a complete language takeover, but we must also consider the opportunity cost of making a choice to have a single global language. Can there be more than one? How much culture would be lost if we continue on the possible path to universal language?
There is no possible way to accurately predict how language will evolve in the coming years, which are already being set up as the most important period for language in recorded history.
Sources
Crystal, D. (2003). English as a global language. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Ronen, S., Gonçalves, B., Hu, K. Z., Vespignani, A., Pinker, S., & Hidalgo, C. A. (2014). Links that speak: The global language network and its association with global fame. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(52), E5616-E5622.
