One sound; one voice: Globalization of Language

By: Bethany Headricks, Danielle Taylor, Natasha Sadler, and TJ Lloyd
Language has always been an undermining player in the globalization of the world. With the increase of technology, transportation, and availability of culture, language has gone through several different changes and adaptations, which has resulted in the prominence of three languages: Chinese, Spanish, and English. These languages make up the most spoken languages on Earth, but specifically, English is the one most people see when they think of a globalized language. This is partially due to the fact that most countries require their people to learn English in order to properly speak with people of the business world, which as of right now has a large amount of American influence, the influence of media, and the spread of education around the world. However, with each method of globalization there are factors that go into it, problems with the situation, and ways that we might be able to fix it.
The way that language is viewed today is not as a force of globalization, but it is so integrated into the very foundation of societies across the globe that it is hard to deny that it is one of the most basics roots of globalization. There are three specific mechanisms that enable the locomotive of language to roll on: the presence of language in education, business, and culture. Without these three aspects, language loses so much of its meaning and driving force that it essentially becomes obsolete. English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese have become three of the most important languages to learn in order to thrive in the world of business, but with nearly 7,000 languages spoken in the world, these three hardly make up the culture of the world.
Some problems with having a globalized language is the fact that if there are only a few languages spoken other languages will become obsolete, which is happening today. This is shown through lingua franca, a mechanism that allows two different people to talk through one common language. Usually it is a standard language, English being an example of one, which is used during a setting, like a business meeting. While this does allow for easier communication, minor languages are left out and over time can be forgotten. Slowly but surely languages are being forgotten in favor of having a universal language that allows one to communicate with multiple people, not just the people in your town. Examples of this are found in Africa, parts of Russia, Asia, and even in the Americas where certain dialects are dying out. Another reason for this is the incorporation of another language into a national language, with the example of English vs. Spanish in the United States. This can affect the way the nation is seen and expressed, and while it allows more people to speak with each other the loss of an identity can be devastating to the country’s culture and people.
Solutions for this stems around proper education. If the world is more educated then the world might be able to save these languages while still being able to communicate with each other. This is especially important for the United States to do because most people expect English to be spoken when traveling. People expect to be speaking in English at important business meetings so they practice this one language instead of trying to learn another one. The reason for this is because of the lack of education in American school systems; most other countries have several options to take languages at a younger age while American systems only offer the chance at a high school level, which is way too late. Language tests can be created in order to help with this, and it will help when trying to travel to other places. Preservation laws or guidelines can be established to help keep dying languages alive and flowing. While a globalized language may happen, this flattener might be able to be supported by having other minor languages included thus keeping culture alive.