Paper 4, Question 1
Paper 4, Question 1
David Crystal has taught the world that, one thousand years ago the global language was Latin. Now the global language is English, as most counties have made it their second language to facilitate communication globally. The spread of language is caused by the power of the people who speak it, with technological advancements.
The reasoning for a specified language to be identified as the global language is for communication reasons between countries. According to the article, it states that there are, “more people in China who speak English as a second language”, than Americans who speak it as their first language. This quote from the article helps to accumulate an understanding of how globalized the language is presently. ‘Kachru’s Circles Model’ proves the textual evidence in a visual and data-based way. The model shows that in the inner circle, where English is the native language, English is the native or mother tongue of people in the country. Which consists of both the United Kingdom and the United States with 320 - 380 people speaking it. While in the Expanding Circle, where English is the foreign language. English is spoken as a medium of international communication. Where both China and Russia have 500-1000 million people speaking it. Within the model providing an elaborated and more detailed data-showing of the evidence provided from the text, it is evident that currently in the international context that English is globally used and pushed on by other countries. While countries that have English as their first language tend to not speak another language.
Continuing with the issues raised in the article, it proposed the question of, how much longer, “will English qualify as the ‘world’s favorite language’?” As of today, English stands as the global language as it is globally spoken from a common functional standpoint. However, David Crystal suggests that a language spreads based on the people who speak it. As he constantly states, “The spread of language is caused by the power of the people who speak it.” The people are powerful and so others learn it believing that it will improve their lives. This has applied to the spread of English. The issue brought upon the article is the future status of English from an international standpoint of it being used as a global language.
Moreover, the key evidence provided in the article, “fewer than 400 million have it as their first language.” While “about 1.5 billion people around the world speak it.” Here it is evident that the future is questionable for English being the global language, as David Crystal said that we could never know the future of language, the evidence suggests that more countries are resisting their native language and further expand into having English as their foreign or second language. Scott Hale, a data scientist at the Oxford Internet Institute, argues that more could also be done to unlock the power of multilingualism online. Internet platforms he believes could be modified to make it easier for multilingual users to find content in other languages, as well as encourage them to contribute in more than one language. This initiates that, with technological advancements, English could die as the global language, meaning that with the use of different languages the future of different languages will no longer impede communication.
Furthermore, in the idea of a technological standpoint in the future in regards to English internationally, the article states a factor of the future. This is, if you are involved with international business, video games, or the latest popular music, “you’re going to have a difficult time if you don’t speak any English. But things are changing fast.” While David Crystal has stated that with the ups in technology, English has dominated, the countering factor of Scott Hale and the article that “computer translation technology” can be, “as good as, or better than, human translators.” As generations develop and technology advances, the future of English from an international standpoint is suggested to be reduced.
While presently the current global language is English, other countries learn and use it to signify communication with each other, as countries have English as a common language. With the up and coming advancement of technology, the future stands with communicative issues that will not be issued with countries who have two different native and first languages.
Hi Charli,
ReplyDeleteFor your AO1, you received 7 marks using a good amount of quotes which shows a great and detailed understanding of the text. Plus having some effective references to specific points which makes it work with your explanations being effective throughout the whole blog strengthening the blog.
For your AO2, you received 3 marks with having a clear expression of explaining the text. As you used a good amount of outside information that made it work and tied back to the prompt and structured properly which made it flow perfectly.
For your AO4, you received 6 marks for having a clear understanding of linguistic issues, concepts, methods, and approaches that were represented in the text. Plus involving some outside sources and theories such as Kachru’s circle model along with explaining demonstrates the wider study of references that you used.
16/25
Great job!
Hi Char,
ReplyDeleteAO1- 6/10
For AO1, I thought you did good, you had clear points that showed an understanding of the text with specific references and more than enough evidence supporting your claims which was really good to see. I think if you had organized your ideas a little more clearly it would have been easier to further elaborate. I also noticed small errors misquoting or using improper syntax whilst quoting, so it will be an easy fix to improve this score.
AO2- 3/5
As for AO2, I decided again that you had shown clear expressions with occasional errors which do not impede communication, since your content is relevant and the ideas are developed clearly there was no further issue. Just a couple of small but definitely noticeable errors were spread throughout your writing, I think that if you re-read the text before submission it would drastically improve this area.
AO3- 8/10
Where you shined was in AO3. You had detailed understanding of the linguistic issues concepts and methods in the text. You also had effective reference to wider study of linguistic issues, concepts, and methods/approaches. You clearly showed this in writing, "...a data scientist at the Oxford Internet Institute, argues..." Showing contrasting positions of the problems that the English language is facing.
Overall, 17/25