The status of English language during the old ages

the status of English

1. The status of English Learning objectives: Explore the reasons for the global spread of English. Learn about the role of English in global communication.

2. Warm up Is English your mother tongue? What languages, other than English, are spoken in your country? How important is English in your country?

3. Key terms Global language: a language used across the world for all written , spoken and digital communication. Lingua franca: a common language which is used over and above local languages to allow communication between groups of people who speak different languages . Multilingualism: When individuals speak more than one language in their daily life.

4. Some facts about the historical development of English English did not exist 1500 years ago. The origin of English can be traced back to the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxon tribes from Northern Germany. In the 16 th century there were still fewer than five million English speakers in the world Military and commercial power launched English beyond its national borders. The British Empire declined during the 20 th century but the spread of English continued.

5. The criteria used to assess the status of a global language The number of first language speakers must be high. English is spoken as a first language by around 375 million and as a second language by around 750 million speakers in the world. Speakers must be spread over a wide geographical area. Political and economic affairs must be stable so that the language can spread without large-scale opposition.