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ABSTRACT
This paper is a short analysis of the phenomenon of English as a global language; the current spread and status of English as a first and second language internationally; English shares with the other official languages the ability to express the multiplicity of ideas and the refinements of thought that demand expression in our modern civilization. Nowadays, English has achieved the status of World English, existing as a cultural and political reality.
Keywords: worldwide status; lingua franca
1. INTRODUCTION
It is highly known that social, cultural and political forces can influence a language. These forces shape the language in every aspect, especially in the number and spread of its speakers.
In the course of English history, the social and political events have profoundly affected the English people and the language as well: "the development of England as a maritime power, the expansion of the British Empire, and the growth of commerce and industry, of science and literature, have, each in their way, contributed to the development of the language" [1, pag. 2].
One reason for the position of power, for this dominance of English is its propensity for "acquiring new identities, its power for assimilation ..., its manifestation in a range of varieties, and above all, its suitability as a flexible medium for literary and other types of creativity across languages and cultures" [1, pag. 8].
2. THE IMPORTANCE OF A LANGUAGE
Languages become important because of events that shape the balance of power among nations. The language of a powerful nation will acquire importance as a direct reflection of political, economic, technological, and military strength; so, the arts and sciences expressed in that language will have advantages, including the opportunities for propagation. "The spread of arts and sciences through the medium of a particular language in turn reinforces the prestige ofthat language" [1, pag. 3]. It is normal for a language to acquire through various means the words that it needs, even borrowing from other languages. French, English, German, Italian and Spanish are important languages both because of the history...