LANGUAGE &

GLOBALIZATION
DR. CARL E. ANDERSON
Spread of English & Spanish

SARA MONTOYA
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
 Differences in English spreading
BRITISH COLONIALISM
• Exploration – colonies establishment
• British power to show
• Geographical - Language enforcement
• Formal – use mostly by royalty and elite
• Scaled slowly – less population
• Low language travel
• A lot of new varieties and forms (pidgin, creole)
• Special linguistic features
• Less resources to learn it
• Less exposure
• War and religion was key to move the language
• Language travel by sea and ground
• Inner (L1) and outer circle (ESL)
AMERICAN CENTURY
• Expansion – purpose driven
• American undertaking the world
• Socio – cultural interests
• Informal forms – more common in society
• Bigger scale – population growth
• Faster language movement
• Less forms, more universal codes
• More international features
• Different ways and materials to learn it
• Huge exposure
• Development was key to move English
• Language travel by air, ground, sea
• Outer (ESL) and expanding circle (EFL)
 Differences in English spreading
BRITISH COLONIALISM
• Less focus on form or grammar
• Starter point for language spread
• Bond between colony and home country
• Language moved to people
• Industrial revolution began
• Leader up to XIX century
• Basic publishing – by hand
• Low frequency printing materials
• Leapfrogged since the beginning – no threat
• It was imposed on the population
• Face to face oral communication
• Most communication in English
• Less platforms: theaters, parties, and opera
AMERICAN CENTURY
• Linguistics aspects more important
• Key for expansion
• Adaptation to the language’s home
• People moved to language
• Industrial revolution evolved
• Leader from the end of XIX century
• Massive publishing – print technology
• High frequency printing
• In risk – threated by other languages
• Used more for international relationships – there
was a need
• Telegraph, radio, TV
• Other languages to communicate
• Larger options: cinema, concerts, music disks,
festivals, etc.
 Similarities in English spreading
BRITISH COLONIALISM & AMERICAN CENTURY

• Nation power – become the world’s leader

• Geographical features
• Economic development
• Modernism
• Immigration
• To build a single identity - local communities
• Official language
• Opportunities in society
• Social and cultural functions
• Political Unity – symbol
• English as a medium to communicate in all forms
• BBC vs USA broadcasting media
• Music genres create new identities
• Armies always a key to take language further
• Globalization effect
• No varieties in South-east Asia – EFL still remains
 Spread of English & Spanish
ENGLISH
• Celtics – AD 450
• 300 years later – Anglo-Saxon
• Influenced by many other languages
• Britain colonization – 5th century
• 1st in the world
• Spread more extensively
• International language
• Germanic root
• Big Latin influence
• Influenced most of the USA
• Highly important in Europe
• During colonialism it mixed with native
languages
SPANISH
• Roman empire – 5th century
• Latin dialects evolved to romance languages
• 700 years later – Castilian (Spanish dialect)
• 8th century – Moors invaded
• Latin root
• Spain colonization – Columbus, 1492
• 4th in the world
• Big Arabic influence
• Occupied large parts of west and southwest of
the USA
• Sometimes more important in Europe
• During colonialism it mixed with native
languages
 English & Spanish future - 21st century prospects
POSITIVE ASPECTS NEGATIVE ASPECTS
• National resources • Identity – negative societal attitudes
• Better education • Competing with other languages – lose its
• Globalization preferred status
• International citizens • Linguistic consequences with media evolution
• World unity • Technology and internet influences
• Development to all scales • Pop music threatens the life of ethnic traditions
• Entertainment • Little incentives in expanding circle countries
• No big investment in language education from
the government
• Economic elite – Is it still a privilege?
THANK YOU!