Language In The Contemporary Word

Language In The Contemporary Word

In chapter three in which discusses Language in The Contemporary word, there are seven topics involving Language and Languages, Attitudes to Languages, The Languages of Nations; Boundaries and Relationship, The Growth of English, English and Englishes, Native Speakers, and Language as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Next, what I could conclude from this chapter such described as the following paragraph. The more explanation is:
1. Language and Languages.
People do not speak ‘language’ as an abstraction, but particular languages. In addition, they form a practical perspective the most salient feature is that these languages are mutually incomprehensible. It has a meaning that one of the main problems in which language is implicated is how speakers of different language are able to communicate each other. Thus, there are two possible solutions including one or both speakers should learn the other’s language and the other is employing a translator.

2. Attitudes to Languages
The attitudes to languages seemingly becomes a social phenomenon in which many people learn their language; they still regard it as ‘theirs’. Thus, while linguists regard all languages as equal and arbitrary systems capable of fulfilling the same functions, this is far from how they are perceived by language users. Some languages are popularly regarded as being less complex than others. For example, the reason why English is used as an international language is because it is easier to learn.

3. The Languages of Nations; Boundaries and Relationship.
There are two other ways in which languages can be compared. Those are by numbers of speakers and by geographical distribution. While the world’s largest languages, such as Chinese, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Arabic, have hundreds of millions speakers and are frequently used beyond their homelands. Smaller languages are confined to specific ehnic groups and restricted areas. It has been estimated taht half of world’s languages are likely to disappear in the twenty first century.

4. The Growth of English.
In recent yers, the growth of English has startingly spread in the quantity and speed of international communication. The rise of international corporations, linked to expanding US power and influence, ensures an ever-increasing use of English in business. As we can notice, films, songs, advertisements are popularly using English in many countries where English is not the first language or the second one.

5. English and Englishes.
The Indian scholar Braj Kachru describes English in three concentric circles: the inner circle of the predominantly English-speaking countries; the outer circle of the former colonies where English is an official language; and the expanding circle is increasingly part of people’s daily lives. At issue is the degree to which the English in each of these circles can provide legitimate descriptions and prescriptions.
We talk of standard American English, standard Australian, New Zealand English and so on. As English becomes more and more widely used, recognized varieties might emerge even in places where there is no national native speaker population or official status. Thus, Braj Kachru describes this situation as one in which English exists in three concentric circles; the inner circle, this means that English is considered as the predominantly English-speaking countries such as UK, US, Canada, and Australia; and the expanding circle, this means that English is considered as the second language, it could be caused the former colonies where English is an official language such in Malaysia, India, and Singapore; then the outer circle, it could be considered as part of many people’s daily live such in Indonesia.

6. Native Speaker.
In order to know what native speaker means, we need to lok at some assumptions about it. There are three questions about what native speaker is. Based on personal history, native speakers are considered to be people who acquired the language naturally and effortlessly in childhood, through the combination of of exposure, the child’s innate talentfor language learning, and the need to communicate. Based on language expertise, native speakers are seen as people who use the language, or a variety of it, correctly, and have insight into what is or is not acceptable. Then, based on the knowledge and loyalty, ntive speaker is assumed to entail knowledge of, and loyalty to a community which uses the language.
Native speakers considered to the people who acquire the language naturally and effortlessly in childhood, through a combination of exposure, the child’s innate talent for language learning, the need to communicate. Native speaker is seen as people who use the language or a variety of it, correctly, and have insight into what is or is not acceptable. It also assumed that native speaker entails knowledge of, and loyalty to, a community, which uses the language
Native speaker has nothing about proficiency in writing, but only about proficiency in speech. Some native speaker can do so inaccurately or clumsy. On the other hand, traditional native speaker implies nothing about size of vocabulary, range of styles, and ability to communicate across diverse communities.

7. English as Lingua Franca (ELF).
English as Lingua Franca is considered to be the condition in which the users of English do not rely on paricular standard of English but use English in more global way. The highly proficient users of English are not necessarily aspiring to speak any of the standard Englishes from either the inner or the outer circles. What matters in ELF’s use is clarity and comprehensibility rather tahn conformity to one of existing standard.