Global English: past, present and future

Abstract

English is unquestionably the universal lingua franca in every field. The justification that it is a consequence of the linguistic superiority of English is denied in this paper, which analyses the role of the UK and the US as perpetrators of the linguistic hegemony of English, and attempts to identify the sociopolitical factors that led to this state of affairs.

While acknowledging the benefits of the existence of a global lingua franca, its effects on other societies and languages are critically analysed. Therefore, both sides of the debate whether English is a tool for international communication or a killer language are presented. Correct language planning, especially in education, is highlighted as a requirement for efficient cohabitation for English and other languages.

Variation in English is presented as proof that even the global lingua franca is affected by language change. In addition, this paper makes an attempt to predict the linguistic and sociolinguistic future of global English, considering the role of human involvement as central, but adapted to a world where technology is highly present.