The Influence of learning English Language on Saudi and Chinese Students

1.1 Abstract:

Much as there are cons of adopting the English language as the official communication language in today’s “Global Village”, the pros justify the idea of all nations communicating in a common language as opposed to different and incoherent languages. This thesis focusses on studying the effects of learning English on twenty Chinese and twenty Saudi university students from different disciplines. Why China and Saudi Arabia? One might ask. Well, China and Saudi Arabia because they are non-English speaking countries that have in recent years embarked on a drives to teach English at every level in their education systems. A survey of at least twenty students at Chengdu University in China and twenty students at King Faisal University will be conducted through:

A questionnaire

Direct interview either face to face, by telephone or via Skype

The purpose of the interview will be to clarify follow up questions on answers to the questionnaire. The study will help to analyze how good or bad it is for all nations to learn English without affecting the vernacular languages.

1.2 Introduction:

Just like the U.S. has been adopted as the base rating of other currencies in today’s world, the English language has been adopted as the communication language by most countries in the world. Even though the American dollar is the official trading currency, it might not necessarily be the strongest currency. Similarly, the use of English by most nations of the world does not necessarily mean that English is dominant over other languages. Some critics might say that by using English, it inferiorities other languages. Of course not, but when nations find common ground in a common language, communication not only is made easier but also is enhanced. As the human species, we might differ in many ways such as culture but at the same time we relate to one another in more ways than we do to other species. So the benefits of all nations having a common communication language outweigh the disadvantages much as they might be there.

2.1 Literature Review:

“An important aspect of the increasing dominance of English in the “expanding circle” is its effect on other languages. The influence of English on other languages has given rise to much heated debate. What happens to other languages if English comes to dominate the linguistic scene? English has spread into and partly taken over domains such as popular music and entertainment, fashion, sports, advertising and trade. Massive borrowing has taken place on all levels of language. The rise of English has resulted in a concern with issues such as the loss of particular domains and the maintenance and preservation of the domestic language.” (By KARIN AIJMER, The influence of English on the languages in the Nordic countries, 2004).

The above quote shows that there are indeed contradicting views on the use of English by world countries and hence this research aims at looking more closely at the pros and cons of the issue by collecting data from those directly affected by the scenario.

Another view by Edward Sapir says, “The simplest kind of influence that one language may exert on another is the “borrowing” of words. When there is cultural borrowing there is always the likelihood that the associated words may be borrowed too.” (By Edward Sapir, Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech, 1921).

This translates to a disadvantage to the use of a common language like English in the sense that other cultures tend to be twisted towards the English culture since it is inevitable to speak a foreign language and not borrow certain words too.

“It is everywhere. Some 380 million people speak it as their first language and perhaps two-thirds as many again as their second. A billion are learning it, about a third of the world’s population are in some sense exposed to it and by 2050, it is predicted, half the world will be more or less proficient in it. It is the language of globalization—of international business, politics and diplomacy. It is the language of computers and the Internet.” (By Anne Johnson, The Rise of English: The Language of Globalization in China and the European Union, 2009).

In this final quote, Anne Johnson show that the trend of globalization makes it necessary to use one common language since countries have to engage one another on various platforms such as business and technological innovations.

2.2 Significance of Research:

Since this is not only a hot topic but also a scenario that we are currently facing, this makes this research not only worth taking a closer look at but also requires urgency because if the direction the world is taking is the wrong one, then we are doomed. However if it is a good thing to have a world common language, then we are on the right track. Another good thing that could be learnt from this research would be to put checks and balances to counter the negative effects that could spoil an otherwise noble concept.

Research Questionnaire:

What is your first language? ………………………………….

What are you majoring in?…………………………………..

How long have you studied in English?………………….

What is your age range? (15-30) (30-40) (over 40)

Is studying in English had positive influence on your culture? (yes) (no)

Please explain how :……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Is studying in English had positive influence on your studies. (yes) (no)

Please explain how:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2.4 Research Methodology:

As the researcher and based in Saudi Arabia, I am going to distribute the questionnaire and conduct personal interviews with the respondents at King Faisal University. For the students in China’s Chengdu University, a colleague studying over there agreed to distribute and collect the questionnaire before scanning and sending via e-mail. After collecting the data, I will then tabulate it and deduce what non English speaking countries think of on the issue of using English as the world communication language.

3.1 Limitations of Study:

To substantiate better these theses, it would have been better to sample students from right across the globe but obviously for practical reasons, this is not possible for this researcher. A survey conducted from a larger sample of more diverse countries would give a true picture of this theory as opposed to the two although it is good enough to substantiate the claim. Two universities have been chosen in two countries and the researcher has to rely on a friend in China to distribute and collect data from students in that country. It would be a limitation as well for the researcher to interpret some gestures observed in a face to face interaction when using a third party for the Chinese students.

3.2 Expected Results

In today’s world, the youth have more common interests which have been brought about by technology which has brought about social media platforms where exchange of information takes a fraction of a second to transmit from one point on the globe to another, diagonally across the planet. Even though China and Saudi Arabia are geographically distant from each other and cultures are way different, it is expected that the results will be more or less similar. The anticipated similarities will be inclined towards the positives of using the English language being more than the negatives.

4.1 References:

As mentioned we have to add the references

The influence of English on the languages in the Nordic countries, by AIJMER.

Advances in information systems and technologies, by ROCHA, A.

<http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-36981-0>.

English in Nordic Universities, by HULTGREN, A. K., GREGERSEN, F. and THØGERSEN, J.

The linguistic consequences of globalization, by KRISTIANSEN, T. AND SANDØY, H.

Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech, by Edward Sapir.

Pedagogies of globalization, by SPRING, J. H.

Language standardization and language change, by DEUMERT, A.

Language development and learning to read, by MCGUINNESS, D.

The Spread of English, by FISHMAN, J. A., COOPER, R. L. AND CONRAD, A. W.

English language learning and technology, by CHAPELLE, C.

Saudi students in the United States, by AL-BANYAN, A. S.

Chinese students in America, by CHU, J. P.

Civilizing Chengdu, by STAPLETON, K. E.

Al-Banyan, Abdullah Saleh. Saudi Students In The United States. London: Ithaca Press, 1980. Print.

Anne Johnson. The Rise of English: The Language of Globalization in China and the European Union, 2009.

Chapelle, Carol. English Language Learning And Technology. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Pub., 2003. Print.

Chu, Jennings Pinkwei. Chinese Students In America. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1922. Print.

Deumert, Ana. Language Standardization And Language Change. Amsterdam: J. Benjamins, 2004. Print.

Edward Sapir. Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech, 1921.

Fishman, Joshua A, Robert L Cooper, and Andrew W Conrad. The Spread Of English. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House Publishers, 1977. Print.

Hultgren, Anna Kristina, Frans Gregersen, and Jacob Thøgersen. English In Nordic Universities. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2014. Print.

KARIN AIJMER. The influence of English on the languages in the Nordic countries, 2004.

Kristiansen, Tore, and Helge Sandøy. The Linguistic Consequences Of Globalization. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, 2010. Print.

McGuinness, Diane. Language Development And Learning To Read. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2005. Print.

Rocha, Álvaro. Advances In Information Systems And Technologies. Berlin: Springer, 2013. Print.

Sapir, Edward. Language, An Introduction To The Study Of Speech. London: Hart-Davis, MacGibbon, 1978. Print.

Spring, Joel H. Pedagogies Of Al-Banyan, Abdullah Saleh. Saudi Students In The United States. London: Ithaca Press, 1980. Print.