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INTERNATIONAL, GLOBAL OR UNIVERSAL: ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POSITION OF ENGLISH IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD


KAROLINA JAÑSKA
WROCÂłAW, POLAND

Issue:

CP, Number 12

Section:

No. 12 (2007)  Editorial

Abstract:

The need for communication has existed since the beginning of mankind and it was language that has proved to be the most successful means of interaction. However, with the growth of political, economic and cultural dependencies among countries, the requisite for a common tongue allowing to reject all linguistic barriers has become indispensable in order to preserve positive relations between them. Therefore, the search for the perfect universal means of interaction has remained the fundamental objective of philosophers and linguists for centuries. Despite many opinions that English serves one of the most vital roles in the modern international communication (Crystal [1997] 2003, Graddol 2006), its position as a World Language has not yet been officially established. This article is to consider the attitudes towards the status of English in the contemporary world, analyse its standing in modern politics and society and decide whether it may be classified as an international, global or universal language.

Keywords:

contemporary English, global language, international communication, international language, society, universal language.

Code [ID]:

CP200712V00S01A0005 [0002084]


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