The effects of English as a Global Language today are obvious. It is everywhere, in everything, being spoken by everyone. It is truly the world’s lingua franca. Though statistics vary according to their sources, some such as Global Envision claim that “English is now the official or dominant language for two billion people in a least 75 countries.” It is truly amazing no matter the number how many people today speak and desire to learn the language. But where did it come from, how did it evolve, and what people influenced it? This paper will show through a brief history of England, the birth and evolution of English leading to its prominent role as the Global Language of today.

The continuous defeat of one nation has united the world in one common language today, English. That nation was England and its conquerors were many. First the Romans led by Julius Caesar in 55 BC laid claim. With them came their Latin language and roads. Later, Germanic speaking people from northwest Germany (Saxons, Angles and Jutes) invaded eastern England around the 5th century AD. They brought their Frisian language, trade and commerce. And finally, the most feared conquerors of their time, the Vikings, laid waste and claim to the now populous well-working society of England in 1066. They made perhaps the longest lasting additions to English with their infusion of Old Norse.

With each of these conquerors entrance and exit the English language evolved. Wikipedia attributes many words found in the English language such as priest and bishop as adaptations from Latin. However, it was the Norman/Viking conquest of north and east England, including London, that most influenced the English language. Their words influenced and were borrowed more than any other language, directly leading to the birth and transition of England’s language of Middle English. During these 300 years, while Norman French was the language of the court and of official life, it was English that remained the language of the common people.

However, while the England and the English language was at peace for some time, it did not last long as war erupted in 1541 and lasted unabated till the end of World War II. What was once a simple dot on a trader’s map became one of the most feared empires in modern history. For over 400 years, its emerging dominance on every inhabitable continent was unmistakable (the exception being Central America). English was heralded as the world’s lingua franca, the new GLOBAL LANGUAGE.

It all started in 1541 with the Tudor re-conquest of Ireland, which transferred kingly and governing authority from Ireland to England. England’s neighbor to the north, Scotland, soon followed and its “inclusion” was gained through title by James VI in 1603. Soon after, in 1607, England created its first colony, Jamestown. As its territorial/colonial conquests continued unabated, 1707 saw the completion of a united Great Britain as the Acts of Union were signed. Vast and mighty, aided by the British East India Company, Great Britain flourished as did her colonies both past and present (Australia, Canada, and the United States among others gained independence). England’s globalizing effect and dominance helped English emerge as the language of trade/necessity. England reigned supreme for 300 years. However, with the start of World War II, came her destruction. Though she emerged victorious from the ashes, England never regained her premier dominance. But the English language would not share a similar fate as a new English speaking global superpower, the United States, would take England’s place and continue to spread English with increasing fervor.

Today, examples of English dominance as the Global language can be seen. In 1997, the Science Citation Index reported that 95% of its articles were written in English, even though only half of them came from authors in English-speaking countries. According to the British Council, speakers of English as a second language most likely outnumber those who speak it as a first language. And around 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language). English is spoken on every continent of the world, in both the northern and southern hemispheres. It is the language of today. It is the Global Language.

Sources:

The 1997 Science Citation Index

The Economist (Dec. 20th 2001)

David Lausch, Julia Lausch, and Jason Poynter