Why Do We Teach English?
Kenji Kitao
Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan)
k.kitao [at] lancaster.ac.uk
Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan)
k.kitao [at] lancaster.ac.uk
Introduction
We are teaching English or studying the teaching of English, but why do
we want to teach English, as opposed to other foreign languages? It is useful
for us to consider this basic question occasionally.
The Importance of English
English is not the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of
the number of native speakers--there are many more Chinese speakers than native
English speakers--but Chinese is spoken little outside of Chinese communities,
so English is the most widespread language in the world. It is difficult to
estimate exactly how many English speakers there are, but according to one
estimate there are more than 350,000,000 native English speakers and more than
400,000,000 speakers of English as a second language (a language used in
everyday life, even though it is not the native language) or foreign language
(a language studied but not used much in everyday life).
However, even these numbers do not really indicate how important English
is as a world language, because less than fifteen percent of the world
population uses English. The importance of English is not just in how many
people speak it but in what it is used for. English is the major language of
news and information in the world. It is the language of business and
government even in some countries where it is a minority language. It is the
language of maritime communication and international air traffic control, and it
is used even for internal air traffic control in countries where it is not a
native language. American popular culture--primarily movies and music--carries
the English language throughout the world.
English as a First or
Second Language
In some countries, English is the sole or dominant language. It has that
role in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
and Ireland. All of these countries are former British colonies. In other
countries, English is widely used, particularly among people who have no other
language in common, even though it is not the dominant language of the country.
For example, English is widely used in Hong Kong, Singapore, Nigeria, the
Philippines, and Malaysia. In such countries, it is often used as a means of
communication between people who have different native languages.
Uses of English
English for News and
Information
English is commonly used as a medium for the communication of
information and news. Three quarters of all telex messages and telegrams are
sent in English. Eighty percent of computer data are processed and stored in
English. Much satellite communication is carried in English. Five thousand
newspapers, more than half of the newspapers published in the world, are
published in English. Even in many countries where English is a minority
language, there is at least one newspaper in English. In India alone, there are
three thousand magazines published in English. In many countries, television
news is broadcast in English. Because of the power of television, demonstrators
in every country use signs printed in English for the benefit of the
international press.
English for Business,
Diplomacy, and the Professions
English is a major language of international business, diplomacy, and
science and the professions. It is the language that an Iranian businessman and
a Japanese businessman are likely to use to communicate. Important commodities
such as silver, tin, and hard currency are traded in English. English is also
an official language, or the official language, of many international
organizations, including the United Nations and many professional
organizations. It is frequently the language of international conferences, and
it is the language of international athletics. Throughout the world, many
professional papers are published in English. Even papers that are published in
other languages often have abstracts in English.
English for Entertainment
Popular culture.
Popular culture has also played an important part in spreading English.
American and British popular music are heard all over the world. American
movies are seen in almost every country. Books in English are available even in
countries where few people actually use English. One reason that students give
for learning English is to understand these songs, movies and books.
Travel.
English is also very important for international travel. Much of the
information countries disseminate about themselves outside of their borders is
in English. English is spoken in large hotels and tourist attractions, at
airports, and in shops that tourists frequent. There are newspapers printed in
English, and TV news is available in English. Tours are almost always available
in English. Even in countries where few people speak English on the street,
people who work with tourists generally speak English. In some countries even
drivers of buses or streetcars and sellers at newsstands speak English well.
Other Uses of English
In many former British colonies, English is still used in government and
as a medium of communication among people who do not have another language in
common. In some cases, it is a neutral language that is used to avoid giving
any one indigenous language too much prestige. English is often used in India,
because it is neutral. It is the language of government. People who speak
English have a certain status in society. It is used for books, music and
dance. In Singapore, English is a second language, but it is necessary for
daily life. Many companies there use English. In addition, sixteen countries in
Africa have retained English as the language of government. Now standard
English is taught in schools in those countries, because it is necessary for
careers.
English is also studied as a foreign language in countries where it is
not generally used as a medium of communication. In China, English language
lessons are popular TV programs. Two hundred fifty million Chinese--more than
the population of the US--are learning English on TV. English is usually the
first or most commonly taught foreign language in many countries, and people
understand it a little at least.
The Situation in Japan
More than ten million Japanese visit foreign countries each year, and
more than one third visit English-speaking countries. Probably more than half
of these people go abroad as part of a tour, and they do not speak English
during the visit. They just see scenery, buildings, gardens, etc., eat in
restaurants and stay at hotels. There is no contact with the people of the
country. If they could speak English, at least they could talk with people in
the countries where they visit. They could visit places on their own or take
local tours. They can choose restaurants where they wanted to eat and shops
where they wanted to buy things. They could get information though tourist
information literature, newspapers, magazines, and TV programs.
Whenever we meet English-speaking people from various countries when we
travel, they tell us that there are many Japanese tourists in their cities or
countries, but that the Japanese tourists have difficulties speaking English.
Nowadays many college graduates who work for large corporations will
have opportunities to visit foreign countries on business or work in foreign
countries. English is likely to be essential wherever they go, even if they are
working in countries where English is not the dominant language. Local workers
with whom they work may speak English but not Japanese.
Japan has achieved economic power and reputation for producing high
quality manufactured goods. Many people throughout the world are interested in
Japanese business, technology, and culture. However, there are not many people
who understand Japanese. There are not many books, magazines, or computer
sources to convey information on Japan. More and more information needs to be
transmitted in English, so that many people in the world will know what is
going on in Japan and can learn about Japanese culture. We need more people who
could convey information about Japan to the outside world.
More Japanese attend international conferences and need to present
papers and participate in discussions. Most international conferences are held
in English. Many researchers in universities and companies attend international
conferences to present the results of their research. Most presentations are in
English. Their papers are also published in international journals, which are
also in English.
A great deal of information is available on the Internet. Most
information on the Internet is in English, so if Japanese people want to take advantage
of the many resources on the Internet, they need to be able to read English.
Conclusion
As we have seen, English is a widespread and important language in the
world today. It is used for everything from international academic conferences
to news reports to popular music lyrics. It is used not only for communication
between native speakers and nonnative speakers of English but between nonnative
speakers. Even though it does not have the greatest number of speakers in the
world, it is the most widely used language in the world, and it will be used by
more people in the future.
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