The Reasons for and Effects of the Globalization of English

The growth of English as a global lingua franca out of a national and then regional language is closely linked with the imperialism of Great Britain and the United States. The use of English in many countries was first imposed on mainly by using military force and is currently maintained by their dominant influence in politics, military, economy and education around the world. It is believed that the widespread of English is double-edged. English as a growing world language helps quicken exchanges between different cultures; on the other hand, world cultural diversity is thus endangered. The best way out is to make the most of English adopting language policies according to different circumstances.