A. Introduction
The reason why I choose that statement
because I want to know why English can be an international language in both a
global and a local sense.
For some, an international language is equated with a
language that has a large number of native speakers. in this sense, Mandarin,
English, Spanish, Hindi, and Arabic, the five most widely spoken mother tongues
in the world today, might be considered international languages. however,
unless such languages are spoken by a large number of native speakers of other
languages, the language cannot serve as a language of wider communication. it
is in this sense, as a language of wider communication, that English is the
international language par excelence. And in many instances it is a language of
wider communication both among individuals from different countries and between
individuals from one country. In this way, English is an international language
in both a global and a local sense. Sandra Lee McKay (2002:5. 1st paragraph)
From the statement above the writer
interested to focus on the spread of English to the countries that make English
as an international language and it achieves global status.
B. Discussion
Crystal in Sandra Lee McKay (2002:5. 1st
Paragraph) maintains
that a language achieves global status when it develops a special role that is
recognized in every country and that this special status can be achieved either
by making it an official language of the country or by a country giving special
priority to English by requiring its study as a foreign language. (Today there
are over seventy countries in which English has held or continues to hold
special status, with many other countries giving English the special priority
referred to by Crystal in which English is a required foreign language)
In fact, there are many countries that has given
special status to English by speaking English as their first language, a second
language and also some countries in the world study English in their formal
education as their foreign language. Some countries that speak English as a first
language are: USA, UK, Australia, Canada and many others. Some countries that
speak English as their second language are: India, Singapore, Malaysia, the
Philippines and many others. Some countries that speak English as a foreign
language includes Indonesia and many others country in the world. They studied
English because it is needed for their communication with other people that has
different official language.
Based on my experience when I was in Malay some
years ago, where I climbed the mount of Kinabalu with my group that comes from
different countries. They are from Philippines, France, Australia, Saudi
Arabia, China, Japan and many other countries. Without making a deal, English
was used in our speaking, so that we can understand in our conversation each
other. It means that English is very
famous language and it is used by many countries in the world and makes it
successful to be an international language in both a global and a local sense.
The Spread of English: The Concentric Circles of
English
According
to Bhatt in Tonje M. Caine (2008:3. 2nd paragraph), in terms of
language acquisition and use, the circles comprise the following: (a) the Inner
Circle, represents those countries where English is spoken as a first or native
language (L1) in countries including English-speaking Canada, USA, UK,
Australia, and New Zealand; (b) the Outer Circle, represents countries wherein
English is institutionalized as an additional language and learned as a second
language (L2), such as Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, India, and Kenya;
and (c) the Expanding Circle, represents countries such as Norway, Brazil,
China, Korea, and Japan, where English is a foreign language (EFL). Although useful to
envision the spread of English, Kachru’s model does not explain why English has
successfully spread and taken up the role of international language, nor does
it illuminate concerns related to the hegemony of English such as perpetuating
the status quo and preserving prevailing power structures.
In
addition, Graddol in Sandra Lee McKay (2002:10. 1st
paragraph). In the
inner circle (a), English spread largely because of a migration of English
speakers. In time each settlement developed its own national variety. On the
other hand, the spread of English in the Outer circle (b) has occurred largely
as a result of colonization by English-speaking nations. Here, two major types
of linguistic development occurred. In some countries like Nigeria and India,
where under colonial powers it developed as an elite second language, only a
minority of the society acquired English. However, in other countries like
Barbados and Jamaica, the slave trade had a significant impact on the variety
of English spoken, resulting in the development of English-based pidgins and
creoles.
The spread
of English in the Expanding circle (c) is largely a result of foreign language
learning within the country. As in the Outer circle, the range of proficiency
in the language among the population is broad, with some having native-like
fluency and others having only minimal familiarity with English. However, in
the expanding circle (c), unlike the outer circle, there is no local model of
English since the language does not have official status and, in Kachru's
(1992) terms, has not become institutionalized with locally developed standards
of use.
Therefore, it can be stated that
English spreads to the countries in the world not only because of a migration
of English speaker where it made English is spoken as the first or native
language but it spreads because of colonization by English-speaking nations.
Beside that, English spreads also because it is needed by the people as a tool
of communication to other people from different countries that used English not
as their first and second language and English is taught in their country as a
foreign language.
C. Conclussion
Based
on the above explanation, it can be concluded that the spread of English is
divided by three categories. The first, English spreads to some countries that
use English as their native language or their first language. The countries
that use it as L1 are Canada, USA, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The user of
English as L1 in those countries make English become an international language.
For example, USA is a country that has big population. The second, English
spread to some countries as a result of colonization by English-speaking
nations and English become L2 in those countries. For example: India, the
Philippines, Malay and Singapore. The last, English spreads to the countries
that use English as a foreign language. For example: China, Japan, Korea,
Norway, Brazil, and Germany.
Reference
Sandra
Lee McKay. 2002. Teaching English as an
International Language. Oxford: OUP.
Page
5. 1st and 2nd Paragraph.
Page
10. 1st Paragraph.
Tonje M. Caine. 2002. Do you speak English?: The Spread of English and the Implications
for English Language Teaching. Canadian Journal for New Scholars in
Education. Journal Vol. I,.
Page 3. 2nd
Paragraph.
thank you so much for giving us a chance to have this opportunity.. Collection of Introduction Phases in English
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