DIGITAL LIBRARY
LINGUISTIC GLOBALIZATION – THE CHALLENGE OF THE NEW MILLENIUM
University "Eqrem Çabej" (ALBANIA)
About this paper:
Appears in: INTED2010 Proceedings
Publication year: 2010
Pages: 932-937
ISBN: 978-84-613-5538-9
ISSN: 2340-1079
Conference name: 4th International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Dates: 8-10 March, 2010
Location: Valencia, Spain
Abstract:
The present paper discusses the challenges languages in general and especially Albanian Language have to face in order to deal with and at the same time overcome the pressure coming from English language which is known as “the language of the century”.
The so-called English language pressure, influence and dominance over the other languages, which would be a great mistake to define them as inferior languages, is lately known as linguistic globalisation.
The term globalisation refers to a multi-faced process, firstly introduced in economy, financial, labour and intelectual resources, information technology and later on we came to realise its reflection in languages.
In addition, as it will be cited in the content of this article in the early 1990, there existed voices and at the same time uttered beliefs and concerns that the expansion of English language under the “justification” of the proces of globalisation will have a tremendous toll in the world’s various languages and its cultures and identities diversity.
Furthermore, in comparingly examinig the Albanian language past and present status one could easily detect abound evidence concerning its “Americanization”, firstly witnessed in its lexicon due to the rapid and extensive borrowing and usage of English words and structures.
This must be considered as a two-fold process becouse both languages influence each-other mutually which means that eventhough English is seen as the world dominating language its acquisition from about 97% of the world population and at the same time its acquisition by people belonging to different cultures and speaking quite different languages has its influence in the so-colled language of the century.
The questions that arise at this point concerns the future of the various languages but at the sametime concerns the future of the English language as well:
Is English language going to be the world’s only official language and as a result are the world’s various languages going to disappear in the furthest future?
If yes. Is this considered to be a progress or a regression to Proto-Indo-European status of languages?
In conclusion, the full article takes into cosideration and gives some available suggestions concerning these and other posed questions.
Keywords:
Linguistic globalisation, key language, extensive English borrowing, Albanian language status.