英语专业论文范文
Ⅰ. Introduction
As we all know, English is nowadays the most dominant language in the world. It is said that one can communicate with whatever people from whichever country as long as he or she can speak English. Perhaps it is a little exaggerated yet pretty much like the case. However, it is acknowledged that English has already become the most widely used language in the world. It has been a global language either in the international context or the global context. There are various languages coexisting in the world. In the time of globalization, as a powerful language, English has already developed from a minor language to the most important global language in the world. English, to some degree, is endowed with information of most native English-speaking countries. This fact cannot be underestimated. However, as a Lingua Franca, what English bears is not only culture of Britain or the United States, let alone other countries. The western world has taken up the powerful economic and technological edge by English. Nowadays, the globalization of English fascinates a lot of scholars all over the world. A study of English is a must in order to master and use English in an all-round manner, get a well understanding of World Englishes, and foresee the development of English in future as well. Majoring in English, students have also been greatly influenced by the tendency of the global use of English.
Then why can English become a dominant language to be spread world-wide? The paper reveals the causes of the tendency of the global use of English from an analysis from several aspects.
Ⅱ. The Historical Causes of Tendency of the Global Use of English
Saville Troike has ever claimed that the remarkable development (English) is ultimately the result of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries British successes in conquest, colonization, and trade, but it was enormously accelerated by the emergence of the United States as the major military world power and technological leader in the aftermath of World War II (Troike 1977: 2). It is not unique, but has its counterpart. The distinguished American author David Crystal suggested that there are two main causes contributed to the global use of English. One is “the expansion of British colonial power”, and the other is “the emergence of the United States as the leading economic power of the 20th century” (Crystal 1997: 53). Furthermore, he supplemented that it is the latter one which continues to explain the world position of the English language today. All in all, the colonization of Britain during and after the Industrial Revolution, and the rapid rising of the United States after WWII pave the way for English’s progressive global use.
