Anglophilic vent

By Roger B. Rueda*

A week ago, I applied as an English tutor to a tutorial agency. As soon as the owner manager read my job application letter, his secretary gave me an exam. The exam included grammar, pronunciation transcription, and essay. But I enjoyed the essay part because it was about the importance of the English language to our daily lives. Of course, it seemed that reasons had descended gradually in my thinking instrumentality and, thus, they needed to be dredged out. So I tenaciously called back the many rationales why English is that important.

As a teacher in English such an essay is not just good for that exam but it is to vivify my attitude about the language. It shores up my idea and my underlying reason towards it. It looks over the ground tackle if it is still there--or possibly my mind is no longer heading the right track. For one thing, answering such an essay can go through as a reminder and re-evaluation of how committed I am in my pursuit of teaching the language.

The test I took did not last so long--it was about fifteen minutes I guess. I was asked then to demonstrate a lesson from the books he provided. But before doing so I did ask the owner if it would be okay with him if I would work as a part-time teacher only. He asked me my reason and I answered him that I have my job: I teach English in one of the college here in the city. Well, he did not continue hiring me.

Anyway, I did not regret that such an opportunity is not meant for me. I can not hand over school, perhaps. One reason is that I do not like my students to have another set of lessons because their substitute teacher may not be comfortable with the syllabus I wrote: I have included diagramming and many English teachers do not know it. Another thing is that for months the students have been complaining that every now and then they have new teachers for just a course. But my reason which I think I can not bear leaving them is that I have established friendship with them. Such academic and social life of mine can never become complete possibly if for now I will not consider my feeling and inner flair in teaching.

Going back to the essay that certainly has spurred the Muse, I have drawn up answers.

Of course, this is not to benchmark what has been said but I think as a voracious reader such repetitious flashing back of ideas to my brain creates trouble: I do not know now where are my ideas and where are not mine. So really it draws me to misorder but anyway I will just try the keen of my mind and retention.

Many peoples now are going to the U.K. and U.S. for one reason: to study English. The imperative of learning the language to be a part of the global community can not be denied as globalization has been the palpable catchword of many invincible countries such as Japan , Germany , the U.S. , Australia , the U.K. , and Canada .

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. Of course, it is difficult to assess exactly how many English speakers there are.

However, the importance of English is not just in how many people speak it but also in what it is used for. English is the major language of recent events in the world. It is the language of trade 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.  

English is commonly used as a medium for the communication of information and news. Most quarters of all telex messages and telegrams are sent in English. A large percentage of computer data are processed and stored in English. Much satellite communication is carried in English. Thousands of 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 our country alone, there are a number of newspapers and 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 advantage of the international press.

English is a major language of international business, savoir-faire, and science and the professions. It is the language businessmen 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 often the language of international conferences, and it is the language of international athletics. Allover the world, many professional papers are published in English. Even papers that are published in other languages often have abstracts in English.

American popular culture (largely motion pictures and music) carries the English language everywhere in the world.

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.

English is also very important for international travel. Much of the information countries disperse throughout 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.

In many a former British colony, 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. 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 our country, English is a second language, but it is necessary for daily life. Many companies here use English. Moreover, many 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. According to my online friend, 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 in any case.

English, as we have noticed, is a prevalent and important language in the world nowadays as 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. It is the most widely used language in the world, and more people will use it in the future even though it does not have the greatest number of speakers in the world. Thus, any developing countries and third worlders have to communicate in English to withstand and to be recognized by international business community.

* (ROGER B. RUEDA has a mass communications degree. He was a fellow for poetry of the 41st University of the Philippines National Writers Workshop. His poetry has been published in Home Life, Philippine Panorama, Hiligaynon, and Files, and anthologized in Mantala and his fiction in The Sunday Times Magazine. He writes from La Paz, Iloilo City and works for a college as an English teacher.)