Do you think that English should be the world’s lingua franca? I believe that English should not be the global language. I think that trying to make English the lingua franca today would not work because there isn't much need for it to be. Having one global language would demote each country of its own culture. There is also the risk of political domination.
At this day and age, English would likely fail to be the world’s lingua franca, simply because none would be needed. There are other ways of getting through language barriers. In The Economist article, "English as she was spoke", Nicholas Ostler said, “English will have no successor because none will be needed. Technology…will fill the need." Due to advances in technology, we have ways of translating languages and communicating with each other even if we all don't share the same language. Technology is accommodating enough and will only become easier and more useful in translation as time goes on. This technology will eventually spread. Language isn’t a big enough issue to try and make English the official language because it wouldn’t catch on.
Not having to learn another country's language promotes a kind of ignorance. If everyone were to learn English, people would have little reason to learn another language; therefore, they would remain more ignorant of the diverse cultures around the world. Language encourages people to learn many things about another culture. Language is a key part of culture, so various people would probably reject learning the English language in place of their own native tongue. Any non-English speaking country would be losing some of its values.
I agree with Matador Network writer Terry Dip who wrote, “Our entire concept of everyday reality is shaped around language. If you speak multiple languages, you start to see things in many more shades because some concepts just cannot be translated, directly or indirectly.” This article sums up how important each countries' language is in understanding another culture.
Everyone’s language should be respected. People shouldn’t be told or expected to learn English. A research essay by Pierre Frath mentions how this could lead to the further domination of certain countries. I agree that this could result in the supremacy of English-speaking countries through their political, cultural and educational institutions. People’s national values may even begin to weaken.
There are many reasons why I believe English should not be the world’s lingua franca. The negative effects, such as countries losing their culture, the risks of domination and simply not needing it at this day in age are factors that can’t be ignored. In the end, it wouldn’t be practical.
