English has become the global language in the 20th century. It is the language of trade, diplomacy and the internet. However the increase in international languages, in particular English isolate smaller languages even within their own homelands. In other countries the languages that are supposed to unite the diverse country increasingly is becoming a second class languages. As it becomes more attractive to learn global languages so smaller languages become not worth learning. Is this spread a good thing? On the one hand, the world is becoming increasingly more and more globalised. Countries are more interdependent than ever and with the advances that we have seen in technology in the last few decades, communication is immediate. For us to be able to effectively communicate, especially within fields such as international trade and economics, as well as diplomacy, a common working language is a key. Besides, the English language is one that is very easy to learn. English is very flexible. The same word can operate as many different parts of speech.
On the other hand, spreading of English can cause loss of local languages. In this context the English language is accused of being a killer language that wipes out smaller languages as well as the cultures they represent. Scientific researchers have found out that in fact many small languages have already vanished, such as Xam, a Southern Khoisan language used by hunter gatherer communities of Southern Africa.
Despite the fact that the future of English as a global language will depend very largely on the political, economical, demographic and cultural trends in the world, English shouldn’t be the international language. Neither should Spanish, French, Mandarin, or Esperanto. The world doesn’t need an international language. What it needs is more cultural exchange and less cultural imperialism.
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