English as a global language - Cultural Diplomacy

[Pages:229]English as a global language

Second edition

David Crystal, world authority on the English language, presents a lively and factual account of the rise of English as a global language and explores the whys and wherefores of the history, current status and future potential of English as the international language of communication. English has been lauded as the most `successful' language ever, with 1,500 million speakers worldwide; but Crystal avoids taking sides and tells the story in a measured but engaging way, backed by facts and figures. This new edition of his classic book contains extra sections (on subjects including the linguistic features of New Englishes, the future of English as a world language, and the possibility of an English `family' of languages), footnotes and a full bibliography. There are updates throughout. This is a book for anyone of any nationality concerned with English: teachers, students, language professionals, politicians, general readers and anyone with a love of the language.

DAVI D CRYSTAL is one of the world's foremost authorities on language. He is author of the hugely successful Cambridge encyclopedia of language (1987; second edition 1997), Cambridge encyclopedia of the English language (1995), Language death (2000), Language and the Internet (2001) and Shakespeare's words (2002, with Ben Crystal). An internationally renowned writer, journal editor, lecturer and broadcaster, he received an OBE in 1995 for his services to the study and teaching of the English language. His edited books include several editions of The Cambridge encyclopedia (1990?2000) and related publications, Words on words (2000, with Hilary Crystal) and The new Penguin encyclopedia (2002).

English as a global language

Second edition

DAVID CRYSTAL

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, S?o Paulo

Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, United Kingdom Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York Information on this title: 9780521823470

? David Crystal 1997, 2003

This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First published in print format 2003

ISBN-13 978-0-511-07862-0 eBook (NetLibrary) ISBN-10 0-511-07862-5 eBook (NetLibrary)

ISBN-13 978-0-521-82347-0 hardback ISBN-10 0-521-82347-1 hardback

ISBN-13 978-0-521-53032-3 paperback ISBN-10 0-521-53032-6 paperback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Contents

List of tables Preface to the second edition Preface to the first edition

1 Why a global language? What is a global language? What makes a global language? Why do we need a global language? What are the dangers of a global language? Could anything stop a global language? A critical era

2 Why English? The historical context Origins America Canada The Caribbean Australia and New Zealand South Africa South Asia Former colonial Africa South-east Asia and the South Pacific A world view

page vii ix xii

1 3 7 11 14 25 27

29 30 31 36 39 40 43 46 49 54 59

v

Contents

3 Why English? The cultural foundation

72

Political developments

78

Access to knowledge

80

Taken for granted

83

4 Why English? The cultural legacy

86

International relations

86

The media

90

The press

91

Advertising

93

Broadcasting

95

Cinema

98

Popular music

100

International travel

104

International safety

106

Education

110

Communications

114

The right place at the right time

120

5 The future of global English

123

The rejection of English

124

Contrasting attitudes: the US situation

127

New Englishes

140

The linguistic character of new Englishes

147

Grammar

147

Vocabulary

158

Code-switching

164

Other domains

168

The future of English as a world language

172

An English family of languages?

177

A unique event?

189

References

192

Index

202

vi

List of tables

1 Speakers of English in territories where the language has had special relevance

2 Annual growth rate in population in selected countries, 1996?2001

3(a) Some differences in British and American adverbial usage

(b) Specific adverb+adjective pairs showing differences in conversational usage

4 Some potentially distinctive grammatical features of New Englishes

5 Some distinctive collocations and idioms noted in Pakistan, Nigeria and Ghana

page 62 71

150 150 153 163

vii

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