An international language

English is also hugely important as an international language and plays an important role even in countries where the UK has historically had little influence. It is learnt as the principal foreign language in most schools in Western Europe. It is also an essential part of the curriculum in far-flung places like Japan and South Korea, and is increasingly seen as desirable by millions of speakers in China. Prior to WW II, most teaching of English as a foreign language used British English as its model, and textbooks and other educational resources were produced here in the UK for use overseas. This reflected the UK's cultural dominance and its perceived ‘ownership’ of the English Language. Since 1945, however, the increasing economic power of the USA and its unrivalled influence in popular culture has meant that American English has become the reference point for learners of English in places like Japan and even to a certain extent in some European countries. British English remains the model in most Commonwealth countries where English is learnt as a second language. However, as the history of English has shown, this situation may not last indefinitely. The increasing commercial and economic power of countries like India, for instance, might mean that Indian English will one day begin to have an impact beyond its own borders.

( http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/casestudies/minority-ethnic/)

2. Read the text again and answer the questions. Substantiate your ideas using the information from the text. Discuss the questions in pairs.

1. What terms are used to describe a type of “General English”?

2. What are the main differences between British English and American English?

3. When and where were the differences first officially promoted?

4. Who was the author of “The American Spelling Book” and “An American Dictionary of the English Language”?

5. What was the influence of British Empire on the colonies and their languages?

6. Who added variety and diversity to the rich patchwork of accents and dialects spoken in the UK?

7. What are the new varieties of English?

8. What is the role of English as an international language?

VOCABULARY

Task 1. Find these words and expressions in the text. Explain their meaning in English. Then look them up in the dictionary to check their translation if necessary. Give an example of the situation in which these words and phrases can be used.

Altered, scattered, to become increasingly blurred, subsequently, entities, to establish footholds, indigenous population, patchwork of accents, descent, to act as the benchmark, to adhere, far-flung places.

Task 2. Match each word from the reading with its synonym. Make up sentences with the words from the text.

a) subsequently	1) to stick
b) to scatter	2) mixture
c) blurred	3) body
d) to alter	4) to change
e) entity	5) vague
f) to establish foothold	6) birth
g) indigenous	7) extensive
h) patchwork	8) to place
i) descent	9) to consolidate
j) benchmark	10) later
k) to adhere	11) base
l) far-flung	12) native

Task 3. Fill each gap with one word. Then re-read the text if necessary.

1. The English Language can be traced back to the mixture of ___________dialects that came to these shores 1500 years ago.

2. The language we now recognise as English first became the ________language in Great Britain during the _____________.

3. The distinction between past tense got and past participle gotten still exists in American English but has been lost in most _________of the UK.

4. Different forces operating in the UK and in the USA influenced the emerging concept of a ______________.

5. Both of these publications were major steps towards _________acceptance that British English and American English were becoming_________.

6. In Australia and New Zealand, European settlers quickly outnumbered the ____________ population.

7. Immigrants from the Indian subcontinent and the West Indies have added variety and diversity to the rich ____________of accents and dialects spoken in the UK.

8. Speakers of Asian and Caribbean ___________have blended their mother tongue speech patterns with existing local dialects.

9. British English has acted as the _____________for representing ‘standardised’ English.

WRITING

Write a composition about the importance of learning English as a second language in Ukraine. You might think of covering such aspects as:

· career opportunities in Ukraine and abroad

· education prospects

· English as a means of communication on the Internet

· travelling overseas

Don’t forget that the text should be carefully structured, and its cohesion can be enhanced by such words as first of all, however, moreover, therefore, consequently, etc.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-13