This is one of the first lines of episode one of The Story of English. I competely agree, but it left me with an expectation to know why this is true and what the documentary has to say in order to prove it. It didn't take Robert MacNeil much time to prove it, as he says it is spoken in one hundred and fifty seven countries, which is an impressive statistic.
Another fact that surprised me, was that air control is handled entirely in english, no matter where you are. I've realized that anywhere you fly, you can use english most of the time. There's no way that English isn't the most powerful language of the world.
These facts led me to think about things that used English, nowadays. Most of the internet world communicates using English, and most websites are only in English. I also noticed how despite English is not anywhere near being an official language in Colombia, many of the products that I buy that are produced locally are labeled in both English and Spanish.
Then, the documentary shows how radio sort of clarified how English should be spoken. I had never really thought of how important media is to shape even how we talk and how we use language. Of course, this is a part of education and being cultured, as someone that is not educated or cultured will most likely not know what goes around them and understand issues that are discussed in radio, and speak like the lower classes.
A question I have asked myself many times was then answered. How come American English is spoken by more people in the world than the original British English? And the answer is rather simple, the decline of the British Empire caused for them (the British) to leave the colonies, but the language itself stayed, as it was already a part of the culture. The power of the Americans after the decline of the British was imminent.
Another thing the documentary says is how India attempted to change English to Hindi, but they failed, as it was implemented in the government itself. It's somewhat interesting to consider how English with Hindi accent could be a branch of English by itself, as it is so easily recognized, and has lead to many cultural stereotypes and jokes of sorts. The relevance of English in India is much greater than I thought, as lawsuits, books, education, and even pledges are in English. Even your chances of having a husband depends on knowing English, in India. This has been the case for other countries as well.
Another reason why American English has been more widely accepted than British English, is because it opens space for slang, something that British English hasn't been able to do. Music, also, is sang easily in American English. You can notice that while listening to Pink Floyd, or The Beatles, or The Who, all British bands, that their accent isn't as heavy while they sing and play. I found the interview the documentary shows from a band of California very relevant with slang. "I saw this chick and she had a totally tight bod and she was totally buff. That means she is in shape, and she's clean, and she's looking good."
The gay community and feminist movement has also caused a huge impact on the English language, generating terms for their cultures and movements. Computer programming also is universally in English, most commands and techniques use English.
Asian cultures, despite having a very rich culture of their own, having ancient traditions, have also been affected by the English language. Being huge economical powers, the business world is also integrated with English as well.
The fact that English is the most taught language in the world says a lot about it. If it is widely taught, then everyone with an education must know it. English has also been crucial in the technological world, which is automatically linked with development. This causes English to be linked with development and progress as well. Globalization is happening in English and as the documentary says, "it is the language of the seven seas."
MacNeil, Robert, Robert McCrum, and William Cran. "An English Speaking World."The Story of English. Dir. William Cran. PBS. N.d. Television.
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