English as the International Language

English as the International Language

Business, English and Christianity: global phenomena of the past 100 years

Leftists hate Christianity and one reason is that as Christianity spreads worldwide, capitalism follows.  Likewise, as capitalism follows so too does the English language.  Interestingly, the trio of Christianity and capitalism and English are growing in Africa and Asia to the leftist dismay.  

As it is, in today’s world a pilot from Thailand must speak to an air traffic controller in Nairobi or Mexico in English.  The United  Nations does its business entirely in English.  The international language of business is English.  Is it to serve and benefit England? – No.  Is it to serve and benefit Hong Kong? – No.  Is it to serve and benefit Australia, Canada, the United States? – or not just those nations, No.  English is to serve and benefit business and the international globalist economy.  This recognition has moved such rising economies as Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil, and even China and India to require English taught to all in its schools.  It has motivated multi cultural and multilingual economic tiger, Singapore to establish English as the national language. And please note, there are 33 Catholic churches in Singapore.  To perform in this global economy English has become the necessary mode of communication.  Both the airlines and shipping industries requires English proficiency in every country in order to communicate with English speaking air and shipping traffic controllers in every country.   Within the many developmentally and economically rising nations, the pressure increases for its citizenry to learn English on an increasingly functional level and has become  a prerequisite for both employment and business interaction. For those seeking a middle class lifestyle in any nation,  it becomes imperative.  More people now speak English in China and India than in the United States, that’s each country.  The goal in our global economy is to get people to behave  productively and cooperatively.  The key to this desired behavior is a common vehicle of communication, and that has become the English language.

It is also inevitable that one encounters Christianity when learning English as there is a strong historical connection in the West where Christianity resides.  A case in point is Africa where Christianity, capitalism and English became the interwoven cultural phenomena of the 20th century. Yet as the number of English speakers swell, the quality and standards of the spoken language if you will, becomes a challenge to maintain. The English patois of Jamaica, Central Africa, Southeast Asia may be increasing; however, to effectively function in this global economy requires the facility of language on a common level.  That common level is a standard that cannot be compromised.  Thus, imparting English communication standards becomes the responsibility of all those whose interests are to enhance this ever expanding global economy.  These are the institutions so involved – corporate,  governmental, educational, even religious whose interests are the living standards of its constituents.

An incidental issue in the United States is the movement to support other languages as legal and not requiring English nationally.  This strikes me as folly, considering the demand of higher living standards for all combined with the reality of international economic development, the global economy.  It puts non English speakers at a disadvantage while at the same time other nations around the world do recognize that for them to increase their GDP per capita, English is the way to go.  It’s what’s happening and has been happening for the last 100 years. Pope Francis too recognizes this.  His view of globalization is bringing Christ to all parts. It arrives though the church, it arrives through business, it arrives through the English language.