New Report Highlights Increasing Global Importance of the English Language
English is spoken at a useful level by one in four, or
1.75 billion, people worldwide and by 2020 it will be a language used by two
billion people, according to a new report.
Non-native
speakers of English
far outnumber native speakers and speaking the language gives people a
competitive edge in areas ranging from culture and media to business, commerce
and power, says the report from the British Council, a charity established as the UK’s international
organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.
‘It is
the economically active, the thought leaders, the business decision makers, the
young, the movers and shakers present and future who are learning and speaking English. They
are talking to each other more and more and English is the operating system of that global
conversation,’ said Mark Robson, director of English and Examinations at the British Council.
The
report points out that the English
language was forged by the UK’s unique history and now provides a major
economic contribution to the UK’s prosperity. Thousands of students come to the
UK to study English,
contributing some £2 billion a year to local and regional economies across the
country.
Many of
these students carry on to further and higher education, continuing to
contribute directly through tuition fees and by living in the UK. In the
process, they form personal, professional and business relationships with
people and organisations which will continue when they return to leadership
positions in their own countries and the report suggests that much less of this
would happen without the attraction of the English language.
The
report also says that English
adds value well beyond the UK economy. Research shows how a good command of English
can not only enhance an individual’s economic prospects but also contribute to
national growth and competitiveness.
‘English is becoming a
core criterion in determining employability. Early adopter advantages are
gradually fading and are being replaced by economic disadvantage for those who
do not speak the language,’
explained Robson.
‘Those
who are not online or cannot speak
English are increasingly left behind. English makes a significant contribution to
sustainable global development. It eases trade between countries that do not
share a common language,’ he pointed out.
Mini Dictionary
contribution - something that you give or do in order to help something be successful
sustainable - able to continue for a long time
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