Comments on: The Future of Business English http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/ Basab Pradhan's weblog about business and life in a 'flat world'. 6 AM Pacific is the best time for a global conference call. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:02:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: A Giridhar RAO http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-187 A Giridhar RAO Fri, 13 Oct 2006 20:04:15 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-187 True that English is constantly 'morphing'. But the 'gatekeepers' remain the native speakers; their certification is all important. And no surprise there: English is big business. "Building on research in Switzerland and worldwide, he [François Grin, University of Geneva] was commissioned by a French educational research institution to investigate the impact of the current dominance of English in terms of quantifiable privileged market effects, communication savings effects, language learning savings effects (not needing to invest so much in foreign language learning), alternative human capital investment effects (school time being used for other purposes), and legitimacy and rhetorical effects. This enabled him to conclude that continental countries are transferring to the UK and Ireland at least € 10 billion per year, and more probably about € 16 to 17 billion a year." Robert Phillipson, "English, a cuckoo in the European higher education nest of languages?" (Forthcoming in the _European Journal of English Studies_. The Grin report, in French (if you want to go that far!) is here: http://cisad.adc.education.fr/hcee/documents/rapport_Grin.pdf ) In an earlier study Grin estimated that "the savings to the US education system is a hefty $ 16bn a year. These savings are made possible by the very fact that people in the rest of the world are willing to devote time, money and effort to learning another language — in this case, English." http://www.etes.ucl.ac.be/Francqui/Livre/13.Grin.pdf (pp. 10-11). When you are protecting those kinds of returns on investment, there is nothing "automatic" in English becoming "the language of choice in the business world". Phillipson's _Linguistic Imperialism_ (OUP 1992) documents quite meticulously the policies in internal and public documents of the British and US governments, and agencies like the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations and the British Council in strategically "placing" English. So, while English is impacted by other languages and cultures (and new technologies), "the main body of English" will continue to be the cultural property of its native speakers. True that English is constantly ‘morphing’. But the ‘gatekeepers’ remain the native speakers; their certification is all important. And no surprise there: English is big business.

“Building on research in Switzerland and worldwide, he [François Grin, University of Geneva] was commissioned by a French educational research institution to investigate the impact of the current dominance of English in terms of quantifiable privileged market effects, communication savings effects, language learning savings effects (not needing to invest so much in foreign language learning), alternative human capital investment effects (school time being used for other purposes), and legitimacy and rhetorical effects. This enabled him to conclude that continental countries are transferring to the UK and Ireland at least € 10 billion per year, and more probably about € 16 to 17 billion a year.” Robert Phillipson, “English, a cuckoo in the European higher education nest of languages?” (Forthcoming in the _European Journal of English Studies_. The Grin report, in French (if you want to go that far!) is here: http://cisad.adc.education.fr/hcee/documents/rapport_Grin.pdf )

In an earlier study Grin estimated that “the savings to the US education system is a hefty $ 16bn a year. These savings are made possible by the very fact that people in the rest of the world are willing to devote time, money and effort to learning another language — in this case, English.” http://www.etes.ucl.ac.be/Francqui/Livre/13.Grin.pdf (pp. 10-11).

When you are protecting those kinds of returns on investment, there is nothing “automatic” in English becoming “the language of choice in the business world”. Phillipson’s _Linguistic Imperialism_ (OUP 1992) documents quite meticulously the policies in internal and public documents of the British and US governments, and agencies like the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations and the British Council in strategically “placing” English.

So, while English is impacted by other languages and cultures (and new technologies), “the main body of English” will continue to be the cultural property of its native speakers.

]]> By: Ved Vyas http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-183 Ved Vyas Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:53:23 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-183 I think even before Britishers came to India quite a few Sanskrit words such as data from daata - the giver made an entry in Latin lexicon. I remember one of my school teacher listed some 10-15 Sanskrit words that travelled through Latin into English. I think even before Britishers came to India quite a few Sanskrit words such as data from daata - the giver made an entry in Latin lexicon. I remember one of my school teacher listed some 10-15 Sanskrit words that travelled through Latin into English.

]]> By: Geeta Padmanabhan http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-159 Geeta Padmanabhan Sat, 30 Sep 2006 16:28:27 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-159 Basab, "Tell me" happens to be grammatically correct. It is used informally (in conversation) both in speech and in writing.My comments on this phrase will make it clear. As for the word "mulligatawny", I don't think anyone can claim the right to know the correct spelling. This is an anglicised version of an ancient Tamil word. The way it is spelt now does not match the original pronunciation at all. So how can that be right? The spelling that comes phonetically closest to its Tamil sound is "milagutanni". Here "milagu" is pepper and "tanni" is juice (rasam). Basab,
“Tell me” happens to be grammatically correct. It is used informally (in conversation) both in speech and in writing.My comments on this phrase will make it clear.

As for the word “mulligatawny”, I don’t think anyone can claim the right to know the correct spelling. This is an anglicised version of an ancient Tamil word. The way it is spelt now does not match the original pronunciation at all. So how can that be right? The spelling that comes phonetically closest to its Tamil sound is “milagutanni”. Here “milagu” is pepper and “tanni” is juice (rasam).

]]> By: Yogish Baliga http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-161 Yogish Baliga Mon, 25 Sep 2006 05:29:47 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-161 Very good thoughts on the language. I hear many people in USA ( atleast in silicon valley ) use the word "Yaar". It is not just by Indians, but by whites too. They know the meaning of that word too. That will get included in the dictionary soon. Very good thoughts on the language. I hear many people in USA ( atleast in silicon valley ) use the word “Yaar”. It is not just by Indians, but by whites too. They know the meaning of that word too. That will get included in the dictionary soon.

]]> By: Anon http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-148 Anon Sat, 09 Sep 2006 15:58:13 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-148 Language is for communication and since many words can be pronounced the same way (homonyms) spelling them properly is important. Words that were imported into English also got morphed similarly. Sad to see that as an Indian you cannot spell MULLIGATAWNY! Should have been easy for someone who spent a whole life at a Southie firm - mulagatanni should have been easy fare.. Language is for communication and since many words can be pronounced the same way (homonyms) spelling them properly is important. Words that were imported into English also got morphed similarly. Sad to see that as an Indian you cannot spell MULLIGATAWNY! Should have been easy for someone who spent a whole life at a Southie firm - mulagatanni should have been easy fare..

]]> By: mahen http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-147 mahen Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:52:50 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-147 I remember a joke, "Britishers ruined our country for just 300 years. But, the world ruins and will ruin their mother tongue for several centuries". :). Well, thats a good thought about e-mail english. I remember a joke, “Britishers ruined our country for just 300 years. But, the world ruins and will ruin their mother tongue for several centuries”. :).
Well, thats a good thought about e-mail english.

]]> By: Yogesh http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-146 Yogesh Wed, 30 Aug 2006 05:30:19 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-146 I'm sure 'Abe yaar' is going to be acceptable soon, and that's gonna be 'Highlish' (Hindi + English), as there may be possiblity of Chinglish too (Chinese + English). Again its perfect point - Globalization and Technology (contributed by Indians - Hindi speaking ppl - 'junta') Isnt it? PS: Earlier font size was better :). It's just PP may be. I’m sure ‘Abe yaar’ is going to be acceptable soon, and that’s gonna be ‘Highlish’ (Hindi + English), as there may be possiblity of Chinglish too (Chinese + English). Again its perfect point - Globalization and
Technology (contributed by Indians - Hindi speaking ppl - ‘junta’)
Isnt it?
PS: Earlier font size was better :). It’s just PP may be.

]]> By: ila http://6ampacific.com/2006/08/27/the-future-of-business-english/#comment-145 ila Tue, 29 Aug 2006 14:05:10 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=32#comment-145 Thanks for changing the font. Its so much easier on the eye ! Ila Thanks for changing the font. Its so much easier on the eye !
Ila

]]>