Globish: Encyclopedia II - Globish - Uses and alternatives

Globish - Uses and alternatives

Use of Globish has continued to expand as a tool of common understanding in simple international communication. This is due to its practicality, in parallel with the need of means of communication that the globalization phenomenon entails.

This expansion goes to the point that some consider it a menace to cultural diversity and purity of non-English languages. Some also find Globish limited in what it can express.

The alternatives are constructed languages and other natural languages. Constructed languages, such as Esperanto or Volapük, are rarely taught and do not have many speakers. Natural languages serve as a better base for widespread communication since they have a core set of speakers. The more speakers, and the more widespread they are, the more likely a language will serve well. Each person chooses a second language to learn in order to communicate with others, and so naturally how many people (and which people) already speak and write each given language is the major basis for the choice. Thus the widespread existing use of English across the globe leads to a natural increase in the use of forms of English like Globish and International English.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Uses and alternatives", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki