A Global Language without a Global Culture: From Basic English to Global English

10.6294/EaGLE.2015.0101.04

I-Chung Ke

globalization ； global English ； English as an international language(EIL) ； lingua franca

English as a Global Language Education (EaGLE) Journal

1卷1期（2015 / 06 / 01）

65 - 87

英文

The idea that people should have a common language has long been an ideal. Moreover, the heated discussions that have been taking place with regard to globalization have led to some speculations on the existence of a global culture, which may be accompanied by a global language. By comparing the Basic English movement in the first half of the twentieth century with the rise of global English over the last two decades, this paper argues that a global language alone will not lead to a global culture. The argument is supported by two main rationales: first, English functions as a value-stripped instrument, and second, a multilingual reality has emerged in recent years. Instead of leading to a global culture, English as a global language and tool expresses and constitutes a part of various local cultures which appropriate the use of English according to their own purposes. The majority of people will continue to think in a language other than English, while still being aware of its hegemonic power. While a rootless, neutral language could never become a common language, a language with numerous roots around the world may be able to achieve the status of a global lingua franca. However, these cultural roots force the language to constantly change, instilling new cultural elements. Thus English as a global language implies fluid, dynamic and often fragmented language use, nested in a multilingual landscape, very different from what is usually conceived of as a common world language.

1. Ke, I.-C.(2012).English as a lingua franca (ELF) in intercultural communication: Findings from ELF online projects and implications for Taiwan's ELT.Taiwan Journal of TESOL,9(2),41-62.
   連結：
2. Mencken, H. (1944). The future of the language. In J. E. Johnson (Ed.), Basic English (pp. 33-37). New York, NY: The H. W. Wilson.
3. Bennetton, J. H. (1944). English as a world language. In J. E. Johnson (Ed.), Basic English (pp. 99-102). New York, NY: The H. W. Wilson.
4. Harrison, R. (1997). Farewell to auxiliary languages. Retrieved from https://archive.is/u5gDO
5. Ogden, C. K. (1930). Basic English: A general introduction with rules and grammar. Retrieved from http://ogden.basic-english.org/be0.html
6. Reynolds, P. (1944). Rotary waits for a universal tongue. In J. E. Johnson (Ed.), Basic English (pp. 172-176). New York, NY: The H. W. Wilson.
7. Kamman, W. (1942). The problem of a universal language. Modern Language Journal, 26, 177-182.
8. Anderson-Levitt, K.(2004).Reading lessons in Guinea, France, and the United States: Local meanings or global culture?.Comparative Education Review,48,229-252.
9. Barton, D.,Lee, C.(2013).Language online: Investigating digital texts and practices.New York, NY:Routledge.
10. Benavot, A.(Ed.),Braslavsky, C.(Ed.)(2007).School knowledge in comparative and historical perspective.New York, NY:Springer.
11. Bokhorst-Heng, W.,Alsagoff, L.,McKay, S.,Rubdy, R.(2007).English language ownership among Singaporean Malays: Going beyond the NS/NNS dichotomy.World Englishes,26,424-455.
12. Canagarajah, S.(2013).Translingual practice: Global Englishes and cosmopolitan relations.New York, NY:Routledge.
13. Chan, B. H.-S.(2009).English in Hong Kong Cantopop: Language choice, code-switching and genre.World Englishes,28,107-129.
14. Crystal, D.(2003).English as a global language.Cambridge, UK:Cambridge University Press.
15. Demont-Heinrich, C.(2010).Linguistically privileged and cursed? American university students and the global hegemony of English.World Englishes,29,281-298.
16. Dor, D.(2004).From Englishization to imposed multilingualism: Globalization, the internet, and the political economy of the linguistic code.Public Culture,16,97-118.
17. Drori, G.(Ed.),Meyer, J.(Ed.),Ramirez, F.(Ed.),Schofer, E.(Ed.)(2003).Science in the modern world polity.Stanford, CA:Stanford University Press.
18. Gardt, A.(Ed.),Hüppauf, B.(Ed.)(2004).Globalization and the future of German.Berlin, Germany:Mouton de Gruyter.
19. Garzone, G.(Ed.),,Ilie, C.(Ed.)(2007).The use of English in institutional and business settings: An intercultural perspective.Bern, Switzerland:Peter Lang.
20. Gorter, D.(Ed.),Shohamy, E.(Ed.)(2009).Linguistic landscape: Expanding the scenery.New York, NY:Routledge.
21. Graddol, D.(2006).English next: Why global English may mean the end of "English as a Foreign Language".London, UK:British Council.
22. Ha, P. L.(2009).English as an international language: International student and identity formation.Language and Intercultural Communication,9,201-214.
23. Harzing, A.-W.,Pudelko, M.(2013).Language competencies, policies and practices in multinational corporations: A comprehensive review and comparison of Anglophone, Asian, Continental European and Nordic MNCs.Journal of World Business,48,87-97.
24. Huntington, S. P.(1996).The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order.New York, NY:Simon & Schuster.
25. Inkeles, A.(1998).One world emerging? Convergence and divergence in industrial societies.Boulder, CO:Westview Press.
26. Joseph, J.(2004).Language and identity: National, ethnic, religious.Hampshire, UK:Palgrave Macmillan.
27. Katz, M.,Shapiro, C.(1994).Systems competition and network effects.The Journal of Economic Perspectives,8(2),93-115.
28. Ke, I.-C.(2010).Global English and world culture: A study of Taiwanese university students' worldviews and conceptions of English.Journal of English as an International Language,5,81-100.
29. Ke, I.-C.,Kuo, Y.(2013).The application of bilingual menus and vendors' perceptions in the night markets of university areas in Taiwan.Journal of Tourism and Travel Research,8(2),37-58.
30. Ke, I.-C.,Wu, K.-H.(2007).Globalization as converging means and diverging ends.Tamkang Journal of International Affairs,11(1),87-111.
31. Koeneke, R.(2004).Empires of the mind: I. A. Richards and Basic English in China, 1929-1979.Stanford, CA:Stanford University Press.
32. Kramsch, C. J.(2009).The multilingual subject: What foreign language learners say about their experience and why it matters.Oxford, UK:Oxford University Press.
33. Lechner, F. J.,Boli, J.(2005).World culture: Origins and consequences.Malden, MA:Blackwell.
34. Lee, J. S.(2014).English on Korean television.World Englishes,33,33-49.
35. Lee, J. S.(Ed.),Moody, A.(Ed.)(2012).English in Asian popular culture.Hong Kong, China:University of Hong Kong Press.
36. Matsuda, A.(2003).The ownership of English in Japanese secondary schools.World Englishes,22,483-496.
37. Mühlhäusler, P.(1994).Babel revisited.UNESCO Courier,47(2),16-21.
38. Nettle, D.,Romaine, S.(2000).Vanishing voices: The extinction of the world.Oxford, UK:Oxford University Press.
39. Otsuji, E.,Pennycook, A.(2010).Metrolingualism: Fixity, fluidity, and language in flux.International Journal of Multilingualism,7,240-254.
40. Pakir, A.(2009).English as a lingua franca: Analyzing research frameworks in international English, World Englishes, and ELF.World Englishes,28,224-235.
41. Pennycook, A.(2007).Global Englishes and transcultural flows.New York, NY:Routledge.
42. Pennycook, A.(2010).Language as a local practice.New York, NY:Routledge.
43. Phillipson, R.(1992).Linguistic imperialism.Oxford, UK:Oxford University Press.
44. Piccardo, E.(2013).Plurilingualism and curriculum design: Toward a synergic vision.TESOL Quarterly,47,600-614.
45. Robertson, R.(1992).Globalization: Social theory and global culture.London, UK:Sage.
46. Saraceni, M.(2009).Relocating English: Towards a new paradigm for English in the world.Language and Intercultural Communication,9,175-186.
47. Seidlhofer, B.(2003).Controversies in applied linguistics.Oxford, UK:Oxford University Press.
48. Skutnabb-Kangas, T.(1998).Human rights and language wrongs: A future for diversity?.Language Sciences,20,5-28.
49. Snodin, N.-S.(2014).English naming and code-mixing in Thai mass media.World Englishes,33,100-111.
50. Van Der Bly, M. C. E.(2007).Globalization and the rise of one heterogeneous world culture: A microperspective of a global village.International Journal of Comparative Sociology,48,234-256.
51. Widdowson, H. G.(1994).The ownership of English.TESOL Quarterly,28,377-388.

1. 邱富彥(2021)。Enhancing Students' Awareness of Global Englishes and Intercultural Communicative Competence through a Volunteering Project: A Case of Business English Majors Attending the Cross-Strait Floral Exposition in China。Hwa Kang English Journal，26，55-79。