SPOTLIGHT on ENGLISH # 4 _ Varities of English

Ex. 1: Practise the alphabet.

Pronunciation practice

Ex. 2: Find the American English spelling for these words.

	British English	American English		British English	American English
1.	catalogue	catalog	7.	jewellery
2.	centre		8.	litre
3.	colour		9.	programme
4.	favourite		10.	theatre
5.	honour		11.	travelled
6.	humour		12.	tyre

Ex. 3: Match the American English term with its British English equivalent.

	American English	British English
1.	airplane	aeroplane
2.	boot (of a car)
3.	cell phone
4.	cookies
5.	crosswalk
6.	elevator
7.	fall
8.	fries, French fries
9.	garbage trash
10.	gas(oline)
11.	licence plate
12.	line
13.	movie
14.	one-way (ticket)
15.	potato chips
16.	purse
17.	restroom, bathroom
18.	round trip (ticket)
19.	shopping cart
20.	sidewalk
21.	silverware
22.	subway
23.	vacation
24.	windshield

Ex. 4: Video analysis. The linguist David Crystal discusses the concept of ‘Englishes’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_q9b9YqGRY&t=203s

came into being – adopts – vocabulary – loan words –

privileged foreign language – adaptation – variety – adapts

 

1.    The word “Englishes” ………………………. (1) 10 or 15 years ago to reflect the reality of what happens when English becomes a global language.

2.    The ……………………… (2) taking place when a new …………….. (3) develops is mainly visible in the …………………. (4)

3.    Most countries in the world have English as a first language, a second language, or a……………………………… (5)

4.    As a country ………………………… (6) the English language, it immediately ………………… (7) it to suit its own needs and to reflect its own culture and current developments.

5.    When English goes to another part of the world, in come the……………………… (8), the borrowed words from other languages around.

Literature: 

David Crystal, English as a global language

Ex. 5: Think of examples of English words used in your first/second language.

(-> Beware the pseudo-anglicisms, i. e. words that sound English and have been added to the lexicon of your language but are not real English words.)

SPOTLIGHT on ENGLISH # 3 _ Learning English as a Global Lingua Franca

Task 1

Discuss English as a global lingua franca (a global means of communication) and highlight the consequences for other languages. 

1. Study the cartoon: What does it say about the significance of English in comparison to other languages?
2. Based on the bar chart, determine why English and French are considered global means of communication, but Chinese is not.

Task 2

Make predictions about the reasons why the significance of English as a global means of communication will only grow in the future. (Use the future simple with 'will'.)

-> Refer to the info-graphic below.

Task 3

Practising function verbs/descriptors. 

-> Develop the following key points in a presentation and study the differences.

• suggest institutions in your country which provide English language instruction
• describe institutions in your country which provide English language instruction
• evaluate institutions in your country which provide English language instruction

SPOTLIGHT on ENGLISH # 1_ How to learn English

PART 1

To learn English, the most effective strategy is to immerse yourself in the language and practice consistently across all four core skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

SPOTLIGHT on ENGLISH # 2 _ Reasons for Learning English

 

Courtesy: https://www.studiocambridge.co.uk/why-it-is-important-to-learn-english/

Text 1: 

Discover 5 reasons why learning English is important for your career and profile.

In today’s world, multilingualism is becoming more and more important. In addition to opening up employment opportunities, being able to speak a foreign language helps to make a real connection with people and to know more about diverse cultures, places and lifestyles. The more proficient you are, the better you can express yourself.

Out of the 6 500 spoken languages in the world today, why choose to learn English? As the third most widely spoken language in the world, English is spoken and taught in over 118 countries and is commonly used around the world as a trade language or diplomatic language. It is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy, and tourism. Last but not least, it is the language of international communication, the media and the Internet.

Whether it is for professional or personal reasons, understanding the importance of English will help you reach your goals. Here are a few reasons why you should keep learning and practicing your English language skills.

1. English is the Language of International Communication

Although English is not the most spoken language in the world, it is the official language in 53 countries and is spoken as a first language by around 400 million people worldwide. But that’s not all, it is also the most common second language in the world. According to the British Council, by 2020 about two billion people in the world will be studying English.

Therefore, it is highly likely that if you meet someone from another country, you will both be able to speak English. It gives you an open door to the world and helps you communicate with global citizens.

2. English gives access to more entertainment and more access to the Internet

Nowadays, many films, TV shows, books and music are published and produced in English. By understanding English, you won’t need to rely on translations and subtitles anymore. By accessing these media, you will also continuously improve your English listening and reading skills.

English is currently the language of the internet. An estimated 565 million people use the internet every day and about 52% of the world’s most visited websites are displayed in English. Therefore, learning this language gives access to over half the content of the internet, which might not be available otherwise. Whether it is for fun or for work, if you understand English, you will be able to exchange information with more people online and use many more materials.

3. English makes it easier to travel

As highlighted before, since English is spoken as a first language in 53 countries and as a second language in over 118 countries, learning the language makes it much easier to travel anywhere. Indeed, airport announcements, train timetables, emergency information and street signs are often available in English, including in countries where the native language uses a different type of alphabet. It goes without saying that, when travelling to a country where you don’t speak the language, you are practically guaranteed to find someone who understands at least some English.

4. English can make you ‘smarter’

Learning a foreign language enhances your cognitive and analytical abilities. Learning a new language can be difficult and it involves a lot of mental exercises. Research from a 2012 Swiss Study shows that learning a new language changes the brain structures, impacting the parts of the brain responsible for memory, conscious thought and it can make you more creative. In the long term, bilingualism can keep the brain strong and healthy into old age and supports concentration and memory skills. On an individual level, it improves personality and increases sense of self-worth. In simple words, learning a foreign language makes the brain stronger and more versatile.

Ex. 1: 

Ex. 2: Think about your personal reasons for learning English.

SPOTLIGHT on ENGLISH # 5 _ English around the world - a global language

Why is English often talked about as a global language or lingua franca?

Approximately 1.53 billion people worldwide speak English, either as a native language or as a second or foreign language. This includes about 400 million native speakers. English is the most widely spoken language globally, even though Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers. 

This dominance is down to historical developments:

• The British Empire spread English to many parts of the world during colonial times.
• In the 20th century, the rise of the United States as a global superpower further cemented English as a key international language. Today, its role in globalization and international communication has made it even more essential.

SPOTLIGHT on ENGLISH # 7 _ A History of English as a Global Language

A History of the English language

Ex. 1: Watch the presentation on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU9pshEkwVE

Ex. 2: Match the word groups to their origins.

	Origins	No.	Word groups
1	Latin (Roman Empire, christianization)		potato, zeitgeist, tortilla, rucksack, tomato, schadenfreude, angst, kindergarten,
2	Celtic languages (pre-Roman British population)		castle, parliament, army, peasant, servant, baptism, duke, court
3	Germanic languages (invasion of the Angles, Saxons, and Frisians)		whisky, trousers, dad, clan
4	Old Norse (Scandinavian Viking settlements)		priest, mass, church, wall, military, wine, belt, monk, arena, angel, altar, bishop, pope, nun,
5	Norman Invasion and Conquest (1066 Battle of Hastings)		skull, husband, skin, window, sky, get, skirt, knife, egg, ill, skill, gate, mistake
6	Loan words from other languages around the world		kangaroo, boomerang, apartheid, pajamas, shampoo, bungalow, turban
7	British Empire/colonization: words coming in from former colonies		water, son, daughter, earth, mouth, brother, nose, child, drink, food, eat, sun, moon, wood, field, house, home, family, eyes

 

KEY Ex. 2: No. -> 6 – 5 – 2 – 1 – 4 – 7 – 3