What is a global language?
there is no official definition of "global" or "world" language, but it essentially refers to a language that is learned and spoken internationally, and is characterized not only by the number of its native and second language speakers, but also by its geographical distribution, and its use in international organizations and in diplomatic relations. a global language acts as a “lingua franca”, a common language that enables people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities to communicate on a more or less equitable basis.
historically, the essential factor for the establishment of a global language is that it is spoken by those who wield power. latin was the lingua franca of its time, although it was only ever a minority language within the roman empire as a whole. crucially, though, it was the language of the powerful leaders and administrators and of the roman military - and, later, of the ecclesiastical power of the roman catholic church - and this is what drove its rise to (arguably) global language status. thus, language can be said to have no independent existence of its own, and a particular language only dominates when its speakers dominate (and, by extension, fails when the people who speak it fail).
the influence of any language is a combination of three main things: the number of countries using it as their first language or mother-tongue, the number of countries adopting it as their official language, and the number of countries teaching it as their foreign language of choice in schools. the intrinsic structural qualities of a language, the size of its vocabulary, the quality of its literature throughout history, and its association with great cultures or religions, are all important factors in the popularity of any language. but, at base, history shows us that a language becomes a global language mainly due to the political power of its native speakers, and the economic power with which it is able to maintain and expand its position.
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questions:
1. under what circumstances can we call the language global?
2. what is the main function of a global language?
3. what important factor makes the language global?
4. why was latin the lingua franca of its time?
5. what is the reason of the language disappearing?
6. what are three factors that make the language global?
7. what qualities of the language make it popular?
choose synonyms for the following words from the text. then use these words in the sentences of your own:
essentially, to enable, diverse, equitable, wield, adopt, intrinsic, expand.
Our house is very large and comfortable. Although it's got only one floor, it has all the amenities and space for each family member. There is a large entrance hall which has a clothes rack and shelves for shoes. Right from the hallway you will find yourself in the spacious corridor and if you turn right, you can enter the living room where we spend time together, watching TV or just talking about the day's events. If you go left, you will find yourself in the dining room where there is a large table and six chairs. Here we have lunch, breakfast and dinner. From the dining room you can go to our kitchen. It is spacious and very modern. We have a lot of household appliances: a fridge,a stove, a dishwasher, a mixer, a blender, a bread maker, a microwave and various necessary devices for cooking. Then you can pass in a small hall where you'll find the door to the bathroom and toilet. If you go right you'll see my room and my parents' bedroom. My room is wonderful, it is large and bright. I have everything I need: a computer desk, a sofa, two armchairs, a wardrobe, a large mirror and a lot of posters on the walls. The parents' room is also great, but I rarely go there. We have a wonderful home!
Наш дом очень большой и уютный. Хотя он одноэтажный, в нем есть все удобства и место для каждого члена семьи. В нашем доме большая прихожая, в которой есть вешалка для одежды и полки для обуви. Сразу из прихожей вы очутитесь в просторном коридоре и, если свернете направо, то можете войти в зал, в котором мы проводим время все вместе по вечерам, смотря телевизор или просто разговаривая о событиях дня. Если из коридора вы пойдете налево, вы очутитесь в столовой, где стоит большой стол и стулья. Здесь мы обедаем, завтракаем и ужинаем. Из столовой вы можете пройти в нашу кухню. Она просторная и очень современная. У нас много бытовой техники: холодильник, плита, посудомоечная машина, миксер, блендер, хлебопечка, микроволновая печь и разные очень нужные устройства для приготовления пищи. Из коридора вы можете пройти в маленький холл, в котором найдете дверь в ванную комнату и туалет. Если вы пройдете прямо, то увидите мою комнату и спальню моих родителей. Моя комната замечательная, она большая и светлая. У меня есть все необходимое для меня: компьютерный стол, диван, два кресла, шкаф для одежды, большое зеркало и много плакатов на стене. Комната родителей тоже большая, но я редко туда захожу. У нас замечательный дом!
Today every ten minutes one species of animal, insect, bird, fish or plant dies out forever mainly because of the world’s environmental problems. However, some animals have become extinct because of human actions. People hunt, overfish and change wetlands and forests to croplands and urban areas.
Today the most well-known kind of animal who is endangered is blue whale. Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as an automobile.Blue whales, die out because of lack of food.There was a time, when the blue whale was a major animal in every large water body of the world. But the arrival of the whale hunting era, diminished the whale count by such a massive number, that blue whales are still endangered today.