Global English might soon not be the world's lingua franca anymore

Global English might soon not be the world's lingua franca anymore

Some scientists predict that the trend of languages dying will keep going faster to the point that within a few centuries only Spanish, Chinese and English might remain.
If this prediction is somewhat bold, it is interesting to notice that not only the relevance of minority regional languages will be challenged. Languages that we consider to be widespread such as Japanese or German would also be endangered - although they are spoken by about a hundred million people each.

The number of native speakers is in fact not enough. The key for a language to strive is its influence. The culture a language conveys do much to help it be in good health. English went global not only because it was spoken by many people. It became gradually widespread when capitalism and international trade developed. First during the British Empire, then after World War II, English became enventually undisputed as the world's language with the end of the Soviet Union. Instead of Russian, people started learning English in Kazakhstan.

This competition vacuum didn't last. When it was first predicted China would become a superpower, economy was meant. But soon with growth came cultural influence, with influence Mandarin Chinese spread. Although it may still feel as a far exotic language in Western countries, it is yet another story in Asia. Before people realize it, Mandarin Chinese might well become the business lingua franca in many Asian countries.

A great example illustrating this trend is Singapore. In the lion city, four languages are spoken: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. While Malay and Tamil are minority languages, English and Mandarin are largely spread - and in a cultural competition. The first time I arrived in the Singaporian airport, I was welcomed by a huge Chinese New Year pig statue. While English is - still - the language of business in Singapore, Chinese is the language of the streets. What will be the outcome of this linguistic battle?

It is likely that English will remain the lingua franca of the Western world. However, the Western hemisphere has lost of its power and weight - the gravity center of the world is moving to Asia, which might soon prefer Mandarin to English.

Bottomline: if you are willing to start your career by doing an internship in Asia, consider learning Mandarin Chinese !