Reflection on the Benefits and Challenges of the Influence of the English Language Today The influence of the English language in the world today is undeniable.
📋 Exam Question
Read the material below on the influence of the English language in the world today.
Write a text in which you reflect on some of the benefits and challenges of the influence of the English language in the world today. Use examples from the material below in your answer. You may add other material you find relevant.
Text A:
[...] English is a major language of culture, and it is the third most spoken language in the world as a native language, after Chinese and Spanish. Native speakers of English number about 373m (roughly 5% of the world population), mostly concentrated in six advanced industrialised democracies (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the US), which together produce 33% of the world’s gross domestic product in nominal terms. As a result of the colonial legacy, English is an official or co-official language in many countries of the world, mainly in Africa.
The communication value of English is therefore high, and so is the interest in learning it. Many people use English as a second or foreign language. Precise estimates are risky but taken together, native and non-native speakers in the world total between 1 billion and 1.5 billion, depending on the definition of “speaker”. This amounts to 12-19% of the global population. Proficiency levels, however, are very uneven.
- Excerpt, adapted for this exam by Udir
Text B:
- Norway universities criticised for overuse of English
The Language Council of Norway (Språkrådet) says it is concerned about the amount of English used in courses at Norwegian universities and colleges. A number of classes at higher education institutions across the country are taught entirely in English, reports broadcaster NRK.
The council said that using too much English could be damaging both during studies and for life after them.
“We are particularly concerned for new students who find that almost their entire programme is in English. We are not convinced about the learning benefits, as it’s not certain all students are good enough at English,” Ole Våge said to NRK.
“It is a big problem if only English is used in education. The vast majority of people will be working in the Norwegian labour market afterwards,” he continued.
Våge said that classes taught in English were beneficial but should not be prioritised at the expense of Norwegian.
- […]
- Excerpt, adapted for this exam by Udir
Text C:
World map showing countries where English is a national, primary or widely spoken language.
References:
Text A: Gazzola, M. (2023): English still rules the world, but that’s not necessarily OK. Is it time to curb its power? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/27/english-world-power-language-linguistic-justice
Text B: The Local Norway (2017): Norway universities criticised for overuse of English. The Local Norway. https://www.thelocal.no/20170816/norway-universities-criticised-for-overuse-of-english
Text C: Illustration. "English language through the world". Encyclopædia Britannica.https://cdn.britannica.com/25/192325-050-BDF47C9C/Map-use-language-primary-English-countries-world.jpg
✏️ Model Answer
Reflection on the Benefits and Challenges of the Influence of the English Language Today …