...English – the universal language of the Internet Generally speaking, English is the universal language on the Internet, but it has no official status, and it will never have. In truth it is really a vague collection of languages called “English” because the common origin was the national language of England. The variants are considerable. So how did this happen, why is it so? Well, firstly the Internet was the concept of a US Military research division DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency), as a means to share information on defence research between involved universities and defence research facilities. Also as a method of communication that could be used in the event of a nuclear first strike on the US mainland. Less than 5 years ago 90% of computers connected to the Internet were located in English speaking countries and more than 80% of all home pages on the web were written in English. Interestingly, whilst computers connected to the internet located in native English speaking countries has declined to around 63%, the home page percentage remains similar to that of 5 years ago. Today more than 80% of all international organisations use English as either their main, or one of their main, operating languages. The highest use of the Internet in non-English speaking countries, such as Malaysia, is in the urban areas, partly because of infrastructure availability. However these areas also have a rapidly increasing “middle class” who understand the need for...
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...world now speak English? English is the language of globalization-of international business, politics, commerce and communication. It is also the language of computers and the Internet. Obviously, English has achieved some sort of global status. It is a widely spoken language. It is being used by a lot of people with different nationalities. Many people can understand it than any other languages. Because of this, I can say that English is our universal language. We now have a lot of mediums available for communication. There’s the telephone, computer, mobile phones, fax machines, television and etc. The world is becoming more globally oriented. Families, friends, businesses and many other groups are able to transcend geographic boundaries. But despite the very high-tech form of communication nowadays, it is useless if it can’t be processed and understood. So in order to achieve a true and complete globalization, we would have to eliminate language barriers and develop a universal standard according to which everyone could interact at the same level of understanding. In many ways, this is already happening in that English is becoming the universal language of this global era. A very good example is the internet. You see, internet is used by almost all people across the globe. And the Internet is basically English oriented. This alone has been a huge effect on globalization. When people go to other countries and aren’t familiar with the language, what do they...
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...September 20, 2013 Essay 1: The Code Talker Paradox In the chapter “The Code Talker Paradox” by Mark Baker, he argues that language is surprisingly complex and paradoxically simple. This claim backed by evidence of similarities and differences between languages has also lead Baker to conclude that grammar is universal among children. He arrived at this concept because of the easiness for children to pick up language while the smartest of adults struggle endlessly to learn. When one looks at how complex language is, the only proof that can explain this phenomenon is that any child with a healthy brain must have an innate universal grammar that must coincide with all languages. One difference between the languages of Navajo and English is the that while in English the direct object of a sentence goes after the verb, in Navajo the direct object is before the verb. So if in English one were to say, “Boy saw girl”, even if the Navajo knew the word translation they would have no idea what you were saying. While vice versa in Navajo if one were to say that it would read to an English person Boy girl saw, which wouldn’t make any sense in English. Even if one can understand the translation of words, to make sense of a sentence is incomprehensible. Another example showing the complex differences between the two languages having to do with word order is the Navajo’s primal importance placed on nature in their tongue. In a Navajo sentence humans are placed at the top of the...
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...in one hundred years English will become the most widely understood language. If current trends continue, in the future one can imagine a world in which humans all share a single universal language. Having a common language would potentially open the doors to many opportunities for increased economic activity and cultural interaction. Additionally, as we travel into the 22nd Century, lesser used and more complex languages that are spoken today will become extinct. Subsequently, the few languages that survive will evolve into simplified versions making them much easier to learn. In agreement with McWhorter, is Andres Martinez, a reporter for Time Magazine who wrote, “Why Mandarin Won’t Be a Lingua Franca.” English is one of the languages that will withstand the test of time because of its strong presence in the world today. Martinez lends insight into how the French have watched English gain dominance in spheres of economic influence. A universal language does not mean the demolition of the diversity of cultures that we observe today, it simply means that English will be a middle ground among the nations. A professor and writer from Harvard Business Review, Tsedal Neeley, goes one step further asserting that English already is the universal language of trade in his article, “Global Business Speaks English.” He recounts a business deal that went south simply because two parties could not speak with one another, as a turning point and wake-up call that English was imperative for companies...
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...the eighteenth century the study of language fell into two categories: the more intellectual study which saw in language a reflection of the workings of the mind and therefore pursued the matter of universal grammar with enthusiasm, and the more practical study which saw as its task the provision of books on grammar for educational. The successor of the first type is represented by the work of Horn Tooke, whose Diversions of Purley was published in two volumes in 1778 and 1805.This book dominated discussions about language in England for the first third of the nineteenth century. Because language and thought were closely related, thinking was in essence an element of language and so it is not surprising that many accepted that those who had an incomplete command of language were unable to think rationally. Tooke held the view that language could be reduced to two categories: nouns and other words. The first category, nouns, originated as direct signs that referred to features in nature and represented them. The speed of communication meant that speech became abbreviated and thus the original signs were corrupted so that their original meaning could not be seen in present words. Tooke’s book achieved enormous influence in English intellectual life and prevented the pursuit of more historical studies which were now more fashionable in France and especially in Germany. These views of Tooke rekindled an interest in universal grammar and also sparked off studies...
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...roficiency Level of English Communication Skills of BSHM-HRM Students in EARIST Cavite Campus: Input for Enhancement Program In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management ABSTRACT English is considered as the universal language therefore it is commonly used as medium of instruction in school, home, and even in society. Being proficient in it is an edge in many aspects like in career, technology, society and even in travelling foreign countries. However,despite of the advantages of being proficient in it, still most of the students were not able to express themselves properly. For some reason, some students could not achieve this we called English Language Proficiency. This study aims to determine the English language proficiency of BSHM-HRM students of EARIST Cavite Campus, Academic Year 2014-2015. A total of fifty (50) selected BSHM-HRM students were taken as respondents of the study. The questionnaire was the data-gathering instrument used. CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION Hospitality Industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. Hence, it involves dealing with different people from different countries. In order to communicate with them, English proficiency is being used. Considered as a universal language, it is no wonder that most of the universities worldwide include English as one of their major subjects. Hence, it is the...
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...is a language? A language is a systematic means of communication by the use of sounds or conventional symbols. It is the code which we use to express ourselves as well as to communicate with others. It is a system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs or marks. Any means of communicating ideas, specifically, human speech, the expression of ideas by the voice and sounds articulated by the organs of the throat and mouth is a language. This is a system for communication. A language is the written and spoken methods of combining words to create meaning used by a particular group of people. There are so many languages used in the world. Out of the many languages in the world, English language plays a significant role in the day to day lives of the people. Do you think English is a global linking language? If I were to answer this question I’d say yes. Maybe your answer might differ from mine. "English is without a doubt the actual universal language" said Carlos Carrion Torres of Brazil. What so ever let us see why I believe that English is a global linking language. English language is known to be a global language. But what exactly is a global language? Global language is the language spoken internationally that many people learn as a second language. There are so many languages in the world but out of those many languages English language is considered to be a language that links the world together. In my point of view I believe that English language...
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... since w’out truth: may be wrong. - “things immediately know to me just as they are.”: sounds like some concrete, independent from experience knowledge. someone’s color blind? Russell lists 5 kinds of things we know by acquaintance: sense data, our memories, our own thoughts (by introspection), our (probably) our own self, and universals. [Universals are general ideas which can apply to many different particular things in the world. We have acquaintance with the data of the senses, and in introspection (---thoughts, feelings, desires, etc.; we have acquaintance in memory with things which have been data either of the outer senses or the inner sense. Further, it is probable, though not certain, that we have acquaintance with Self, as that which is aware of things or has desires toward things. [[Include memories n thoughts: that this classifying of experience does involve an unconscious process of inference; and that this unconscious process of inference may be mistaken or then produces false memories, or delusions).]] In addition to our acquaintance with particular existing things, we also have acquaintance with what we shall call universals, that is to say, general ideas such as whiteness, diversity, and brotherhood, and so on. Every complete sentence must contain at least one word which stands...
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...discussion of the validity of Noam Chomsky’s perception of Universal Grammar (UG), some past & current researches which maintain & contest Chomsky’s UG from different areas are represented. The essay focuses on: 1) Chomsky’s Universal Grammar in brief, in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) context; 2) Evidences supporting Chomsky’s UG - views offered by linguists such as Williams and White, etc, to provide arguments to support UG pertaining to first language acquisition and second language acquisition; 3) Evidences refuting Chomsky’s UG - according to Piaget and Haspelmath, etc, based on the insufficient assumption of SLA and also biological evolutions; 4) UG and language teaching; 5) and in the conclusion, I shall add my two-cent worth of perspective as a language teacher. 1) Chomsky’s Universal Grammar in Brief Universal Grammar is the brainchild of Noam Chomsky, adopting the cognitive approach. Human beings have implicit knowledge of grammar but may not be able to explain how they get this ability. This is because they have no conscious awareness of the processes involved. 1) Universal grammar is a theory of knowledge: It is mainly concern with the internal structure of the human mind, suggesting that the speaker knows a set of principles that apply to all languages, and parameters that vary from one language to another. It makes precise statements about properties...
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...and English with Reference to other Languages Hashim Sa'doon Saleem Al-Ni'aymi University of Tikreet College of Education Dept. of English Abstract Honorifics have currently occupied an important position within the domain of socio-pragmatic studies of language and within the theories of communication. The basic aim of this paper is concerned with identifying the points of similarity and difference between honorifics in Modern Standard Arabic and English with regard to structure. It also aims at giving a brief account of the term honorifics and how are honorific expressions realized in both languages. It is hypothesized that the structure of honorifics in Modern Standard Arabic is different from that in English. 1. The Concept of Honorifics: Honorifics are derived from outputs of politeness strategies where these directly or indirectly convey a status deferential between speaker and addressee or referent, where they indirectly convey such a status deferential, as in French Tu / Vous pronouns do via the general strategy of pluralizing in order to impersonalize (Brown and Levinson 1978: 183). 1 Honorific Expressions in Arabic and English with Reference to other Languages Hashim Sa'doon Saleem Al-Ni'aymi Honorifics have been defined as “politeness formulas in a particular language which may be specific affixes, words, or sentence structure” (Richard et al., 1985: 131). Languages which have a complex system of honorifics are, for instance, Japanese, Mudurese (a language of Eastern...
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...English the King of Languages Our world has millions and millions of languages. However, one of the most widely spread and known language is English. English has always been the prominent languages of all time, and is prevailing more than any other language has before. It is unlikely for any other language to uproot English as it has been used for centuries. English dominates the world and will not be dethroned as the king of languages since it is the language of science, technology and culture. To start with, English is known to be the language of science. For example, when a scientist makes a discovery, he should be able to communicate with his colleagues that come from different countries about his findings, thus having to use the English language. Therefore, this shows us the significance of English and the strong impact it has on the fields of science. Also, English is the universal language of technology, especially these days we use technology in our daily lives. Online resources for instance, such as articles, blogs and essays are mainly published in English. Technology connects us to the world and the best way to keep in touch with others and stay connected with them is through English, which permits people to share ideas and information all around the world. We are rarely exposed to German, Italian or Australian famous celebrities that achieved an outstanding global recognition as much as the English celebrities have. One major example is Hollywood, where it...
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...Critical Essay #1 February 8,2016 Language Culture Min-Zhan Lu in “From Silence to Words,” describe the struggle she faced speaking english when she grew up in China, and how she learn English under China Culture Revolution. She was so upset that she can not use english at school, and she feels she cannot write without the influences of her language and culture at home. Lu believe that one’s writing will not influenced by the outside world, because the opinion must be accurately conveyed. However she let herself to omit these opinions when she writing English. She convey her dismay lose the command of the language. And how to spare “ the language of school” and “ the language of home”. Through the story, she is trying to find her own identity in the China Culture Revolution, in struggle with language. After that, she feel better and even more thankful for the circumstance that her grew up. At the end, She become a teacher and teaches her student English use her experience, let them writing without much struggle. Lu writes, “ This incident confirmed in my mind what my parents had always told me about the importance of English to one’s life”(438). With the globalization process of the economy and the informationalization process of the society, the importance of English is prominent. Due to cultural and linguistic differences between English and Chinese and different in ways of thinking between East and West, a new type of English has created by Chinese, which is called...
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...Correlation of English Proficiency between Academic Performances in Selected Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management Students in Laguna State Polytechnic University Los Baños – Campus Submitted to the Faculty, College of Hospitality Management and Tourism, Laguna State Polytecnic University Los Baños Campus, Los Baños, Laguna In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Methods of Research Samantha L. Banasihan Mark L. Banasihan CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduction The importance of English language for enhancing educational attainment through improved communication ability can never be over emphasized. Students who have so much difficulties with their communication skill in English language may not function effectively, not only in English language but in their academic and this is no reason than the fact that English language in Philippines today is the language of text-books and the language of instruction in schools. When English Language proficiency is high, it will definitely affect and improve the academic performance of such students. Nevertheless, where the proficiency in English is lacking in any academic setting, it will definitely lower the academic performance of such students. The competency in English significantly determines performances in intelligence or academic tests. The explanation above seem to suggest that mastery of English language is very importance even in students’ academic performances...
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...Human Factor and User Interface Assignment 1 For the Air Macao web site, I have described some comments which are in positive and negative ways. Positive things: 1. Strive for consistency: Using consistent font size and color in each area on the home page. Web sites use consistent layout in the same languages. 2. Cater to universal Usability: A new web site for those cities which “Air Macao” has the flight line provides their local language. For example: It provides Korean, Chinese and English. 3. Offer informative feedback: When purchasing flight tickets, this requires people to input their personal information. On the “Online Booking” page step 4, it requires users to fill-in personal information. If you entered something wrong, a dialog will be shown to tell user which item’s inputs are wrong. 4. Design dialogs to yield closure: On the “Online Booking” page, whenever users purchase tickets, it tells that there are six steps (procedures) to complete a transaction in the beginning. When you finished step one, it indicates you to the second step, step by step. 5. Prevent error: For the user’s input data, when users who want to purchase/book tickets, it provides 2-D menu calendars and drop-down lists for those cities “Air Macao” provides flight line on the “Online Booking” page. 6. Permit easy reversal of actions: When purchasing tickets on the “Online Booking” page, it provides a “Last Step” button on the bottom of the web page for users to redo...
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...Why is English the international language? The fact that English is now the main international language is indisputable. In all aspects of international life – trade, science, diplomacy, education and travel – the common language is English and has been for decades. There are two main reasons why English is the current lingua franca; political history and economics. First, one of the main reasons why English is the international language in the world today is the fact that Britain was the global superpower in the nineteenth century and America is the global superpower in the twentieth and twenty-first. For example, these two English-speaking countries were the most important countries in terms of the military and trade. By conquering and colonising so much of the world, their customs, culture and way of life became common in those parts of the world. This is why so many ex-British colonies now have English as the national language, with many of their people speaking English as a first language. Second, a further reason for the spread and of English is economics. By being the global political and military superpower, these two countries also became the leading trading nations and many countries and territories needed to learn English in order to trade with them. The USA is currently a major trading partner with almost every other country on the planet due to the size of the consumer economy. This explains why in many countries, English is a...
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