english as a global language

[Anonymous]

hiya,
i've got an essay question which asks me how and why english has become a global language, i have already referred Hawaiian creole english and african american english languages and i am now struggling with it, could you give me some pointers?

cheers,
simon.

[Tdol]

English became a global language through the expansion of the British Empire and then through the US dominance of the world economy. Your references seem a little wide of the mark.

[Susie Smith]

English became a global language through the expansion of the British Empire and then through the US dominance of the world economy. Your references seem a little wide of the mark.

You might also mention the advent of computers and Internet.

[Tdol]

Definitely- they are major factors now. I am not sure what Hawaian Creaole has to do with the matter, though.

[Susie Smith]

Definitely- they are major factors now. I am not sure what Hawaian Creaole has to do with the matter, though.

I'm sure I don't know what it has do with it either.

[Tdol]

There seems to be a lack of analytical awareness here- the assumption that they are supposed to show their PC credentials here, but having done that have no light to shed on the question. English spread as a world language through the barrel of a gun. AAVE is the result of the opposite movement of people- the enforced movement within an English-speaking environment- the spread has no connection. There are 600 million Chinese studying English- more than twice the population of the US. They are doing this to get on the internet, etc, and creoles are irrelevant in this arena.