Essay Sample on Globalization of the English Language

English is the language of globalization because currently, it is the main language for operating in most fields including communication, traveling, banking, and the Internet. Globalization can be defined as the increase of relations between culture, economy, and people on a global scale. It can also be referred to as the transnational circulation of languages, popular culture, and ideas. On the other hand, the term the globalization of English according to Murray (2006), can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Firstly, it can refer to the intrusion of English language into the lives of dwellers in towns or cities across the world, which threatens local languages and cultures, as well as skew socio-economic order because it favors individuals who are proficient in English. Secondly, it can refer to the rapid spread of English as a second language. The spread of English can be attributed to linguistic imperialism and can be explained using the opium and ginseng metaphors. As Harbus (2004) articulates, a metaphor is a symbolic expression which capitalizes on either words or phrases in shifting from its normal uses to contexts where it can subsequently evoke new meanings. In this cases, like opium, English is portrayed as externally imposed, additive in the sense that it is indispensable, is coveted by English-speaking elites, but welcomed by the society, as well as enfeebling because learning English brings all kinds of psychological discomforts and problems (Kirkpatrick, 2002). Like ginseng, English comes with a cost as not everyone aspires to learn it has the material resources and support, it appears in different forms, it can be bitter when learned and used, as well as enabling where it can help learners to access more information, state-of-the-art knowledge, and cutting-edge technology (Kirkpatrick, 2002). The purpose of this paper is to bring together practices and notions associated with English, as well as the culture and identity of spreading English globally about the two metaphors of ginseng and opium.

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Considering the metaphor of opium, English is used for many purposes, nationally and internationally and serves key society domains. According to Phillipson (2008), it can be described as lingua economica, serving advertising and it is the language of neoliberalism, as lingua emotiva serving hedonism, consumerism, films, and music, and lingua academica as it is widely used at international conferences and a medium of higher education and research publications. It is also referred to as lingua cultura because it is rooted in literary texts of English-speaking nations, which as Li (2002), points then as the addicts, thereby mirroring the metaphor of ginseng.

According to Holliday (1999), there are two cultural paradigms applied in linguistics. As the researcher points out, the vast culture paradigm highlights the vulnerable nature to culturist reduction foreign teachers, educational contexts, and students. On the other hand, as Holiday (1999) asserts, small culture paradigm attaches culture to small social groupings wherever there are cohesive behaviors, thereby avoiding culturist national, ethnic, and international stereotypes. For this reason, English, being a small culture, its spread is inevitable in every society. For this reason, the spread of English is seen as a small culture, where it has been integrated as the main language used in most of the former American and English colonies mainly for education purposes. Education is seen as a fuel towards the globalization of English, which is in line with the metaphor of opium. With English being a small culture, it is non-essentialist and non-culturist, and thus, it relates to cohesive activities within any social grouping. Regarding relations, there is no insubordination. Therefore, the small culture approach to the globalization of English is based on the metaphor of opium as it represents a mezzo world of small cultures, which is used in institutions of work, discourse, and leisure. Issues of colonialization become matters on confrontation from an inter-cultural perspective, main English hegemonic technologization of professional among other practices (Holliday, 1999). As Holliday (2000) asserts, with English taking a non-essentialist view, it is movable, and thus, can be used in various fields for different purposes of science, identity, and politics. For this reason, English is considered as an opium metaphor, where its spread is addictive.

In essence, the English and American identities were very strong, which contributed to its globalization in the colonial era. It was believed that the project of establishing English as the language of power, locally and globally, was central to acquiring empires. For example, Pieterse (2004) quoted President Truman saying that the whole world needed to adopt the American System, and for it to survive in America, it needed to be a world system. Etherington (2005) posited that missionaries had a role in globalizing English as Christianity was taught using English. For this reason, it shows that the identity of English was strong and addictive, just like opium. On the other hand, it was bitter for the colonies who had to learn it even though it was not their culture. Therefore, for the colonies, it was bitter, just like ginseng.

In addition, according to Jenkins (2006), the spread of English has been supported by the spread of imperialism, specifically in the education sector. English has been espoused as the lingua franca in many of the American and English colonies, and thus, just like the opium metaphor, its spread is inevitable (Phillipson, 1992). Jenkins (2006) pointed out that there is a growing consensus between the importance of awareness in English in schools for educators, trainers, and teachers to impart the right set of skills to the students. In essence, like ginseng, the English language is bitter because it is hard to learn it and especially the fact that it is hard to find experienced educators of the English language. Also, its spread can be considered as a metaphor of ginseng as it is enabling for the learners who obtain opportunities and are not marginalized. Learners who are possess English skills usually obtain better jobs and interact with others better. However, in contrast, looking at the metaphor of opium, those learners without the skills are usually marginalized, especially for the ex-American and English, and English is an enabling factor in instances of obtaining better opportunities. According to Seidlhofer (2009), world Englishes paradigm and English as a lingua franca have similarities in that English belongs to people who use it, and thus, this further presents the act that the spread of English is based on the metaphor of opium because it is addictive and virtually indispensable.

In addition, English, just like ginseng, is enabling in that it enables the construction and negotiation of diaspora relationships and identities (Canagarajah & Silberstein, 2012). It is a factor that contributed to the globalization of English, mainly because the diaspora communities want to form relationships with the homeland, as well as the rest of the world. As the researchers pointed out, traditional orientations to diasporic relations have anchored the concept of homeland, and dispersed populations do not expect or desire to return to their diaspora. Also, just as like opium, the younger generation does not move away from the diaspora community but positions itself with relative detachment. The degree of attachment and the affinity are strategic in instances of identity negotiation. However, like ginseng, second generations tend to keep themselves open to other affiliations and identities in their new home. For this reason, this has enabled the spread and globalization of English, both from first and second generations.

In addition, as Philllipson (2008) asserts, In India, which is one of the former colonies, English is the language of elite formation, as well as social inclusion and exclusion. In this instance, Phillpson (2003) proposes that English should be referred to as lingua frankesteinia. On similar grounds, it can be elaborated using the metaphors of ginseng and opium. Like opium, in this case, English is disenabling because it fosters exclusion where people without English skills can be excluded from the elite. In consequence, English becomes coveted and looked like an essential part of the socialization. However, like ginseng, it becomes bitter because those who cannot speak or have the necessary skills to communicate are have to sacrifice resources in learning it so as to join the elites. Therefore, those who have the skills, like ginseng, English is an enabling factor, which will allow people with English skills and competencies to be included among the elite. For this reason, knowing the language is an essential part of survival, at least from a social perspective. For this reason, since the tongue was indispensable and useful to avoid marginalization and exclusion its spread was inevitable, and in effect, the English language was globalized in a bid to be included among the elites.

In conclusion, the globalization of English was inevitable owing to the strong identity of American and English cultures. Therefore, imperialism played a vital role in spreading of English, which was facilitated by the teaching of Christianity through English. In effect, most of the former colonies have adopted English as lingua franca, which is used in many institutions. For this reason, like opium, the spread of English was facilitated by its disenabling factor where those who did not know English were marginalized and excluded, but like ginseng, they had to learn the language because without it was disenabling. In essence, to be included amongst the elite, it was necessary to know English, and thus, people had to sacrifice resources to learn it. Besides, it is the main language used in educational institutions, thereby making it inevitable to learn it, which facilitated its spread.

References

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