It is becoming more and more common for people to communicate in English.
There are good and bad sides of having English as a universal language. Currently, there are about 380 million native English speakers in the world. Millions more are taking English as a second or third language.
Unfortunately, learning a new language can get frustrating. That’s due to the lack of enough vocabulary or being unable to pronounce words correctly. There’s also the issue of speaking with an accent.
Even so, many understand that improving their spoken English can bring great benefits. These include making new friends, getting better jobs, and having greater self-confidence. It can also ensure smoother traveling experiences and boost academic performance.
Yet, several questions still abound. “Why is English the universal language?” “What are the benefits and negatives of giving it that position?”
Keep reading to find out the answers.
Everything About English as a Universal Language
Despite other languages having more speakers, English is the universal language. This is because, at one time, the British Empire had great influence over the world. Thus, the language spread throughout many continents.
By looking at the pros and cons, we can understand the impact of the language on the world.
Here are the pros:
1. Unites the World
Having a universal language brings everyone together. We can understand people and this allows us to move in the same direction.
A good example is the partnerships we see between companies in different countries. The result is people get great products and services. Sometimes, it makes things less expensive for everyone due to cheaper raw materials.
2. Eases Communication
People can overcome language barriers by speaking English. This means they can travel, work, and interact with other cultures.
3. Allows People to Engage and Share in Art and Science
Using English as a universal language allows cultures to share the arts and sciences. People watch movies and TV shows from different nations. Others share scientific ideas that lead to great breakthroughs.
4. Is Simple to Learn
English is easy to learn due to the lack of complicated symbols used in other languages. Also, it doesn’t have strange characters, which change the pronunciation.
With the pros out of the way, here is the negative side of English:
1. Affects Local Languages
The more people speak English, the less they speak their own languages. This leads to the loss of these languages.
2. Sometimes Difficult to Pronounce
Pronouncing English words can be difficult for foreign learners. As if that’s not tough enough, there are regional accents of the English language as well. This makes it hard to listen, understand, and communicate.
3. It Hinders Cultures
When speaking a different language, you notice that your expressions and behavior change. Foreigners make great attempts to fit in the new culture. Unfortunately, this affects their own cultures.
Learn How to Improve Your Accent
As you can see, English as a universal language has great benefits and potential problems. That should not make anyone question why English is the universal language. Its history and dominance throughout the world already answers that question.
Pronunciation and accents are the main problems non-native speakers face and they don’t have to last. With time, they find they can communicate and understand native English speakers well.
Contact us to learn how to improve your accent.
