Is it possible to have a common tongue?
Can there are be a global English for global people?
Specifically, Globish could be called the dialect of the globalization class- the people from places like Finland or Greece who meet in Shanghai to do business deals in English with people from India or Brazil. Globish is an attempt by non-English speakers to work out a language –based on English –in which they can communicate.
In fact, as long as the 1920s, the British academic and critic IA Richards formulated Basic English, an 850 words version of English for use in China. However, it did not take off. Languages are not invented by experts and handed down. They evolve, like living things. That’s why Globish is becoming popular. It was invented by its speakers to meet their actual needs.
The Golbish vocabulary has around 1500 words, compared to the 615,000 words recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary. It consists of words that can easily be recognized by non-English speakers. More obscure and specific words are explained in simple terms. A tomato in Globish is a round and red fruit, and a nephew is a son of my brother or sister.
Of course, Globish also follows the basic rules of English grammar and spelling, but it is more proatical. Most people are learning English to help their careers. So it may be possible to see the appeal of English adapted to become a language of profit and performance, rather than poetry and literature. Granted, if you want to read Shakespeare or Harry Potter, please learn English well not Globish, which is for business.
Specifically, Globish could be called the dialect of the globalization class- the people from places like Finland or Greece who meet in Shanghai to do business deals in English with people from India or Brazil. Globish is an attempt by non-English speakers to work out a language –based on English –in which they can communicate.
In fact, as long as the 1920s, the British academic and critic IA Richards formulated Basic English, an 850 words version of English for use in China. However, it did not take off. Languages are not invented by experts and handed down. They evolve, like living things. That’s why Globish is becoming popular. It was invented by its speakers to meet their actual needs.
The Golbish vocabulary has around 1500 words, compared to the 615,000 words recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary. It consists of words that can easily be recognized by non-English speakers. More obscure and specific words are explained in simple terms. A tomato in Globish is a round and red fruit, and a nephew is a son of my brother or sister.
Of course, Globish also follows the basic rules of English grammar and spelling, but it is more proatical. Most people are learning English to help their careers. So it may be possible to see the appeal of English adapted to become a language of profit and performance, rather than poetry and literature. Granted, if you want to read Shakespeare or Harry Potter, please learn English well not Globish, which is for business.
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