A meeting point for those of you out there, students or not, who delight in English, run by the English Department of the EOI Almendralejo (state-run languages school)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Weekly discussion
This week's conversation topic is English as a lingua franca. Do you think English will still be the world's global language in 50 years' time? Leave your comment below.
I think that English has changed all over the years like every language,but in mi opinion it is the global language since you can speak in every country you visit because English is spoken there. Another important reason,is that English is a part of the educational system in a lot of countries and it is for something,isn´t it? Mª Teresa Vivas 1ºA
In my opinion, English will still be the world's global language in 50 years. We're speaking about a language which is developping and changing everyday. Lots of web pages are starting to be written in English. English is also the most useful language you can use to speak about business or computers. And I won't speak about travelling... Blanca Hernández, 1ºA Actually, there are more people who have just started to learn English than some years ago, aren't there? Think about that: people must believe that having some knowledges of English can help them. I agree.
I think so, but in 50 years because of the immigration, languajes like Chinese and Moroccan will have more and more importance. At school you will chose the languaje you want to study.
I think English will remain the lingua franca for a while, since at the moment there simply are not powerful enough "enemies". China might become more important, but I hardly see anyone learning Chinese. Besides, Chinese isn't even a language, it's a name we use for a wide range of very different dialects spoken in China. Which of them should we learn? Any variety of Chinese is, in my opinion, not very likely to become the lingua franca. Even some Chinese, I've heard, prefer learning English to communicate with other Chinese from different areas with different dialects, since these dialects are not mutually intelligible.
However, Spanish, our own language, seems to be gaining importance, because we have a lot of Spanish-speaking countries in South America, and a lot of speakers in other countries like the USA.
So, in conclussion, I think English is going to remain the world's lingua franca for a fair amount of time, but none knows what will really happen. What a boring world would it be if it were predictable!
Of course I can. I was talking about your post about the climate change (http://englishalmendralejo.blogspot.com/2010/10/climate-change-issue-that-worries-us.html). If the world is going to be destroyed due to the global warming, there won't be human beings and therefore there won't be lingua franca.
Oh sorry! Sometimes I forget this blog is not only yours. I din't read who the author was.
I went a little off topic because I think there is no much more to add to the previous comments. I think than english speakers are the only ones who don't think that studying another language is a need to communicate with the rest of the world and that's why English will keep being the world's global language in the future.
I'm sorry, Antonio.I didn't want to bother you with my post about the climate change. What I meant was it's a real problem. Of course we won't disappear, but life is getting more and more difficult on The Earth. Anyway, thanks for your sense of humour. Talking about this topic, I think we'll have English for a long time. But it could change like Latin did by becoming in romanic languages. May be in 50 years' time people all around the World will speak in Spanglish, Chinglish, ... Who knows?
Chinglish, now that's a nice word for you right there, isn't it? I even like it better than Spanglish, it has a certain ring to it. All comments are welcome, guys, even if they are controversial, as long as we uphold mutual respect for each other, so keep them coming!
In my opinion, English is and will be an important language for many years. I share my opinion with Blanca about that people are realizing that English is necessary for all, to travel to work and communicate with everyone. So there are many people studying it nowadays.
I think that English is a usefull language, but Spanish is more beautifull. Now in Spain we have a lot of languages (Catalá, Euskera, Gallego, Valenciá, ...) and I think that it´s very necessary because it´s culture.
I think that English has changed all over the years like every language,but in mi opinion it is the global language since you can speak in every country you visit because English is spoken there. Another important reason,is that English is a part of the educational system in a lot of countries and it is for something,isn´t it? Mª Teresa Vivas 1ºA
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, English will still be the world's global language in 50 years. We're speaking about a language which is developping and changing everyday. Lots of web pages are starting to be written in English. English is also the most useful language you can use to speak about business or computers. And I won't speak about travelling...
ReplyDeleteBlanca Hernández, 1ºA
Actually, there are more people who have just started to learn English than some years ago, aren't there? Think about that: people must believe that having some knowledges of English can help them. I agree.
I think so, but in 50 years because of the immigration, languajes like Chinese and Moroccan will have more and more importance. At school you will chose the languaje you want to study.
ReplyDeleteI think English will remain the lingua franca for a while, since at the moment there simply are not powerful enough "enemies". China might become more important, but I hardly see anyone learning Chinese. Besides, Chinese isn't even a language, it's a name we use for a wide range of very different dialects spoken in China. Which of them should we learn? Any variety of Chinese is, in my opinion, not very likely to become the lingua franca. Even some Chinese, I've heard, prefer learning English to communicate with other Chinese from different areas with different dialects, since these dialects are not mutually intelligible.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Spanish, our own language, seems to be gaining importance, because we have a lot of Spanish-speaking countries in South America, and a lot of speakers in other countries like the USA.
So, in conclussion, I think English is going to remain the world's lingua franca for a fair amount of time, but none knows what will really happen. What a boring world would it be if it were predictable!
Carlos, 1º N.A.
According to what I read last week in the post about climate change, it might not be a lingua franca in 50 years' time.
ReplyDeleteCan you elaborate on that, Antonio?
ReplyDeleteOf course I can. I was talking about your post about the climate change (http://englishalmendralejo.blogspot.com/2010/10/climate-change-issue-that-worries-us.html). If the world is going to be destroyed due to the global warming, there won't be human beings and therefore there won't be lingua franca.
ReplyDeleteGotcha! But I didn't post that one!
ReplyDeleteOh sorry! Sometimes I forget this blog is not only yours. I din't read who the author was.
ReplyDeleteI went a little off topic because I think there is no much more to add to the previous comments. I think than english speakers are the only ones who don't think that studying another language is a need to communicate with the rest of the world and that's why English will keep being the world's global language in the future.
I'm sorry, Antonio.I didn't want to bother you with my post about the climate change. What I meant was it's a real problem. Of course we won't disappear, but life is getting more and more difficult on The Earth. Anyway, thanks for your sense of humour.
ReplyDeleteTalking about this topic, I think we'll have English for a long time. But it could change like Latin did by becoming in romanic languages. May be in 50 years' time people all around the World will speak in Spanglish, Chinglish, ... Who knows?
Chinglish, now that's a nice word for you right there, isn't it? I even like it better than Spanglish, it has a certain ring to it. All comments are welcome, guys, even if they are controversial, as long as we uphold mutual respect for each other, so keep them coming!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, English is and will be an important language for many years. I share my opinion with Blanca about that people are realizing that English is necessary for all, to travel to work and communicate with everyone. So there are many people studying it nowadays.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Jose-Elías, I don't feel bothered. I just gave an opinion.
ReplyDeleteI think that English is a usefull language, but Spanish is more beautifull. Now in Spain we have a lot of languages (Catalá, Euskera, Gallego, Valenciá, ...) and I think that it´s very necessary because it´s culture.
ReplyDelete