A couple of days ago, while switching TV channels at night, I caught some kind of discussion on a BBC channel, concerning a possibility of us having a world government in the nearest future. One of the participants said quite casually: "Well, since we already have a world language - English - I wouldn't exclude the possibility of a world government..." What struck me was the matter-of-fact tone in which the statement was made. So, DO WE REALLY HAVE A WORLD LANGUAGE? What are your thoughts?
Thanks for invitation first of all.:)) World Economy will make us to have world language, I think. And pop and rock music have it already...
Thanks for invitation to the group. I am rather sceptical about the issue of the world government. The world is too different and complicated to have it, in the nearest future at least. Some believe though, we already have a world government unofficially. Conspiracy theories, you know. :) I am sceptical about that either. As for the world language, English is definitely an international language, probably the most common, wide-spread and popular. But it would be too daring to call it A WORLD LANGUAGE. There are many people in the world who speak or know English but much more people also do not speak and do not know it (well, I am not so sure about the second point here since English is studied practically everywhere). May be, this person saying A WORLD LANGUAGE meant just an international language - sounds less pathetic.
Oh, I am also pretty sceptical about having a "world government"... The world is an object too big and complex to be governed from one particular spot or viewpoint. The "conspiracy theories" also do sound pathetic. As for English as a "world language" - you know, when we get new students in our language school, those who start "from zero" are qualified as "false beginners" - that is, they think they don't know any English at all, but the moment they start learning, some knowledge and skills they haven't yet been taught just emerge from nowhere. They have seen some words on packaging ans wrappings, on clothes and labels, some phrases as slogans of various companies or as lyrics of some popular songs... It just appears that EVERYONE knows SOME English, even if they are not aware of it themselves! Isn't it amazing?
It not so amazing for me as living in the modern Ukraine (more or less big place) you are virtually surrounded by English in this or that form. Global tendecies do not stop. Probably, if you want to isolate yourself from English you must go to live in the middle of nowhere and block the access of all the mass media. :)
By the way....Ladies and gentlemen! May be somebody knows if it is possible to buy book series by Stephenie Meyer: "Twilight", "Eclipse", "Breaking Dawn" in English in Odessa. Young people mad about this series now... And my daughter too...I had brought one book of this series ("New Moon') to her from Istanbul.
Staniv, I've just sent you the pdf version of "Breaking Dawn". Check your personal messages!
WOW! All the English-speaking forum is here! Great thanks for the company to be gathered in one group. I think English is not that much respected in the whole world, so it cannot be called a universal one yet. Lots of Americans are pretty sure they should study Chinese and Spanish in addition to their native language. The world of business looks at China more and more carefully these days as the world economy depends on its gross domestic product, so why not start studying Chinese while our English is being under control? :) (just joking, I am not ready to do this cause it's double Dutch for me)
"double Dutch" - new expression for me... Thanks. Dear Teachers, let's speak about accents in English...I had experience with New Zealand accent recently. It was awful, "double Dutch for me". How can we manage with it? What are your advices, your experience?
I would say that Chinese is Greek to me, but I am sure that Greek is easier than Chinese. It is so totally different language - seems like from a different planet though it is really one. I had experience working with Chinese people for about a couple of months. Some of them knew English if you may call it like that. So I have an idea about the chinese accent.Though the more high-ranking were the Chinese the better they spoke English. What advice can be as far as different accents are concerned. You get by with them by experience and practice. About 8 years ago I worked with two Australians - a married couple. She had a decent accent that was pretty easy to understand. He had a heavy farm-type accent - got used to it with the time.
