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The Universal Language
As soon as one has the ability to talk, he or she may be told about the importance of learning how to communicate in English. When a person enters school, most teachers emphasize the importance of competence in communicating in English. In the workplace, knowing how to communicate in English is often associated with more career opportunities.
Because of these reasons, many people believe that English will always be the universal language.
Supporters say that English is the language of business and finance. It is the language used by large companies that are established in almost every country. Because of the importance of communication in the business setting, it is essential to have one common language, and English is the one that serves that purpose.
In addition, English is the language of science, technology, and literature. Information technology, healthcare, aviation, engineering, energy, and all the other sciences are communicated in English almost anywhere in the world. Also, most school curricula include English literature and literatures written in English.
Finally, English is the language of pop culture. It is a fact that when it comes to culture, American popular culture is the one that dominates the globe. If there is one culture that has the ability to bind different cultures into one, it would be American pop culture which uses English. American films, literature, music, and fashion are perfect examples that demonstrate the dominance of American culture.
According to opponents, there is no universal language. English is not the most widely spoken language of all. Even Mandarin, which is the most spoken language in the world, cannot be called the universal language because despite the number of people who speak Mandarin, many people can’t travel the world and use that language to communicate with foreigners. Spanish, which is one of the most widely spoken languages especially in Latin American countries, cannot be used in most countries in Asia.
Moreover, many people are no longer singularly interested in English. In fact, many people now value learning multiple languages simply because of the shift from embracing the American culture, whose language is primarily English, to embracing multiculturalism. Many people who choose to be multilingual rather than be fluent in English see that to truly achieve understanding between cultures, it is best to learn different languages.
Finally, English is not a language that unites, but a language that promotes imperialism, elitism, and social inequalities. More importantly, the imposition of English as a universal language is a form of hegemony.