As Christians, the globalization of a language should be our ultimate goal. God’s dream is for the togetherness of his creation. This togetherness will not be reached until all language barriers are broken. However, many people believe the globalization of a language is a mistake. People fear a global language. They do not realize that teaching a universal language is the key to the future. They cannot conceive that the globalization of a language may be part of an ongoing evolutionary process. People fear that regulation will eliminate their language. Thus, they are afraid that the globalization of English will mean the loss of culture.
Agreeably, language is tied closely to culture. However, many bilingual people are able to keep their culture alive as well as their native language. For instance, the United States of America is a culturally diverse nation. Diversity helps us to differentiate who we are and how we live. Many Americans were not raised in cultures that English language is the native tongue; however, in order to find our full potential in today’s culture and society many individuals had to learn formal English. To thrive as a culturally diverse world, we need to look at all of the native tongues spoken on Earth as an enhancement to culture. Unfortunately, we live in a world so caught up in black, white, and brown when describing culture that we fail to realize some cultures have no racial boundaries.
The Deaf community is one such culture. The biggest complaint from the Deaf is they feel excluded when they are among the hearing. Though it is easier for the Deaf to communicate with those in their own culture than with the rest of the world, they have learned how to assimilate with their surroundings. Women are another culture of many faces, colors, and backgrounds. However, they have learned how to assimilate into their national cultures as well. In order to assimilate to their places of employment many college graduates in India take on a Western persona to make callers believe that they are Westerners while taking customer service calls for many companies. However, when they go home, they go home to a rich culture that most Westerners cannot fathom. They, too, have assimilated, but to a worldly culture other than their national culture.
Assimilation is the key to a brighter future. A global language would bring us closer to becoming a worldwide community. English, today, is the key to assimilation for many people. As English speakers, “We are encouraged to view ourselves as being in some way on a “winning side” (502). English is the dominant language of Europe and is now being used all across the continent in a business settings and it is taught in most schools. Because the most dominant language spoken worldwide is English; in order to thrive, individuals need knowledge of the dominant language. Children in Taiwan learn English in order to give them a head start in the world. Their parents spend most of their annual income in order to give their children this boost. Konglish is a stepping-stone for Koreans to learn how to speak formal English. It should not be suppressed because it defines who the Koreans that speak Konglish are. We must remember, however, to teach also children of where they come from and who their ancestors. This are can give them a better sense of cultural identity. Educators do not teach students to speak informally; they learn informal speech from their peers and families.
We can use student’s languages as a doorway to teach them formal English. After all, education is a key to students’ futures. Through education, students learn formal language in order to prepare them for a better life. Failure to switch the language that educators teach to students in schools properly will not prepare students for their full potential. In English classes, it is the teacher’s responsibility to teach English. We must also teach students that words are a powerful tool. They must know the description of a verb or noun gives the verb or noun a power, either weak or strong. We must stress that words not only can enhance text, but also inadvertently hurt a reader, and words can be used to dehumanize people.
Students must learn that the choice of words can affect the audience. Therefore, they must take care to not offend anyone. If students choose not to offend anyone, they must be sure that you use politically correct words and phrases. Students must learn the type of writing the author chooses to do depends on the type of response the author wants. To keep the message positive, students must choose only positive imagery and metaphors. Again, language is the most important tool for any prospective author. Once a student turns in a finished essay, paper or assignment the language should be grammatically correct. No matter the language a student speaks, the language that they write is always and should always be more formal. Once the student has learned a formal language, they will be able to effectively assimilate into a worldwide culture.
Assimilation is not the only reason we need to look at a global language. We must understand that language is an eternal work in progress. Today, our language is already a former shell of itself, and it is always evolving. Though they have been changing since pen was put to paper, the shifts in language have been gradual and steady. This steady change is a lot easier for the speaker of any language to accept. Each generation sees changes in the way we speak and the way we write. Technologies have changed language in ways many could have never imagined. The art of formal writing may be lost forever if we do not set boundaries for the use of the new language. The more people rely on convenient shortcuts, such as symbols and emoticons; the more difficult it becomes for them to be able to communicate effectively with one another. Convenience tends to lead to evolution but do we want language to evolve in such a way. Though our language is constantly evolving, we should not allow it to evolve too quickly. Any sudden change to any language would unleash chaos upon the speakers of that language. If we are not careful, formal language is an art form that may be lost forever.
Many people believe in order to prevent the loss of formal language, there must be laws implemented in order to regulate the usage of language. This regulation could be detrimental to the evolutionary process of formal language into one language that all people can understand. Instead, law should protect language in order to preserve cultures. Language is one of the more important aspects of a culture; therefore, native languages should be preserved. Conformity removes our uniqueness; it changes who we are. It is possible to assimilate into a community without conforming to the community. Forced conformity can and will bring about the worst in people. It further separates mankind into social classes. Forced conformity makes radicals out of people and gives us more reason to fight with one another. It brings about chaos. Governing language is not a step toward unity; it is a step back. It rips us from our cultures, costs us money that could be better spent on human welfare, and it condemns honest people for being who they are. We can assimilate into a worldwide community if we let go of all of our social boundaries without releasing our hold on our cultures.
If we can let go of all our social boundaries and find common ground, we can stand together in a more peaceful manner. We must surrender our misconceptions of other cultures in the world in order to change the world. Globalization of a language does not mean the end of a culture. It can help people to understand each other’s differences. It can bring the world together into one community. We can make this culturally diverse community if we educate people on the rewards. We can get there by giving the marginalized people of the world a leg up by teaching them the language. We can make a united, worldwide community by allowing language to evolve naturally and without forcing a global language upon other people. Bringing all of mankind together into one peaceful community would fulfill God’s dream.
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