Language in a Cultural Context

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Recommended: The role of English as a global language

There are many languages that people can use at their disposal, and English is certainly one of the most important languages of them all. The story By Any Other Name by Santha Rau shows just how vital the English language is. The story revolves around an Indian girl and her sister and showcases just how crucial English is in the education system and displays its vast positives such as developing a form of communication between others and a future of having a successful job; as well as minimal negatives such as diminishing a person’s cultural heritage. Another text, the omg article by Brenna Ehrlich shows off how both English and technology are intimately tied. Other sources such as Agard’s poem Listen Mr. Oxfrod Don show why English is ultimately the most used language. Bill Bryson said, “Without any doubt English is the most important language in the world, and it is not hard to find impressive statistics to prove it”. English is one of the most major languages in the world, but to a certain extent. Although English is key, it shouldn’t be a big enough aspect to have an effect on or destroy a person’s ethnic background. As a result of the education system and our prerequisites in the work force, the way we communicate through use of technology and language, as well as changing a language forming a different variety of pidgins and creole; English has become the Lingua Franca of the world today.

Education is one of the major aspects as to why English is as important as it is now. Education is a right and so people decided to teach it as a common language. In the story By Any Other Name, Santha Rau describes the life of two Indian sisters, Premila and herself. The story shows how the British colonial power took over India and c...

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...e through technology as well as changing a language forming pidgins and creole; can create a Lingua Franca. Every author except Ehrlich suffered from a negative of having English as a most popular language. Agard for being ridiculed on the way he wrote and Rau for losing her heritage. Yet they all managed to get through it because there are more positives to a Lingua Franca then there are negatives. Hopefully in the future we can have more than one Lingua Franca so that everyone is able to communicate and express themselves the way that they want to.

Works Cited

Agard, John. "John Agard: 'Listen Mr Oxford Don'" YouTube. YouTube, 26 May 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. < youtube.com/>.

Ehrlich, Brenna. "Mashable." Mashable. N.p., 24 Mar. 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. .

Rau, Santha Rama. "By Any Other Name." By Any Other Name. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.

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