Bạn đang xem bản rút gọn của tài liệu. Xem và tải ngay bản đầy đủ của tài liệu tại đây (62.14 KB, 2 trang )
Which language do you think has made the greatest contribution to the promotion of better understanding among
the peoples of the world?
The human race is divided by a multiplicity of languages, many of which have come to play an important part in the
affairs
of
the world.
A little reflection reveals that the importance of a language is associated mainly with the ideas and knowledge it
contains. The more ideas a language can convey to the peoples of the world, the more it will be used by
people everywhere. Thus, the language that is used most extensively is the language that makes the greatest contribution
to human progress and mutual understanding between peoples.
It cannot be denied that today the most widely used language is the English language. There are few countries in which
this language is not understood or used. Even the countries which preached hatred for everything English, including the
English language, during their struggle for independence from British rule such as India, found it difficult to dispense
with this language after they became independent. Therefore, they not only continued to use English in all spheres of
public activity but also began to encourage the use and study of the English language as means of achieving national
progress and
unity. These efforts on the part of the various countries of the world convey an idea of the importance of the English
language.
It would be instructive, however to consider the reason for the extensive use of the English language. One of the reasons
is that several countries in the world have been occupied mainly by immigrants from England such as the United States
of America, Australia and New Zealand. It is therefore not surprising that the people of such countries have continued to
use the English language, though they have severed their political connexions with their mother country and acquired
independent status, for one cannot discard one’s language easily.
Another reason is that, in the course or history, a large number of countries throughout the world came directly under
British rule, where English was made the main language for administrative, commercial and all other purposes.
As the leading colonial power in the world, England has indeed exerted a profound influence on the affairs of the world,
though her colonial possessions are rapidly becoming independent one after the other. Concomitantly, the English
language too has come to play a leading role in international communication. Thus, many people whose native language