The article titled “English – The Language of Global Business?”, published by Forbes on October 26, 2012, discusses about how English is now becoming the main language for business around the world. It highlights that English is now more widely used than Mandarin, with China having the largest number of people studying English in the world. A study by EF Education First suggests that by 2020, around two billion people are expected to be learning English, which is becoming a very important and essential skill for internation businesses to communicate. The article also notes that women tend to have stronger English skills than men due to a higher focus on humanities in their studies. English is especially widespread in industries like tourism and telecommunications and is widely spoken in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia. In contrast, it is less common in regions like the Middle East, Malaysia, and Singapore. The author emphasizes the importance of trying to communicate in English, so everyone has a chance to understand. Lastly, the article mentions that native English speakers often struggle to learn new languages, but if everyone makes the same effort, then we can somewhat understand each other.
Secondly, I want to discuss the topic of English as a lingua franca and address some of the points emphasized in the text. First, the author claims that English is becoming more and more widespread, which is absolutely true. You hear English everywhere from films and music to online websites, social media, and much more. I was introduced to the language very early through my favorite songs as a child. In today’s society, you run into English no matter where you live. Inform of TV shows, radio or such things like groceries.
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