The Degradation of the English Language

Jay Walker gave a lecture that can be found on Ted.com about English mania, the need for people of other countries to learn English. Why? Because English is a language of opportunity and of problem solving. English has become the language of the world. China has now become the largest English speaking nation in the world. That is because every Chinese person is required by law to begin English lessons in the third grade. And in a few years, India will become the second largest English speaking nation in the world. That will put the United States of America at number three.

                After the end of WW2, there were two super powers in the world, the U.S.A., and the Soviet Union. We all know that the Soviet eventually fell making the U.S. the world super-power. Perhaps if the dominoes had fallen a different way, the world would feel the need to learn Russian, but it did not. So after WW2 when Europe was a mess and the Cold War started between the Soviet Union and America, there could only be one winner. America was it. In 1989 the Berlin wall fell, the weakening of the Soviet Union was apparent to everyone. America emerged victorious in a make believe war. Which is why English, not Russian, is taught abroad world-wide.

                But what form of English is being taught? In China there is a nationwide test known as the Gaokao that determines the fate of every Chinese citizen. It determines whether or not a student can go on to higher education, or if they will be reduced to only learning one trade. And 25% of that test is based on the understanding of English.

                Which begs the question of how an American citizen would score on the English section of the Gaokao? However there is no data on such a comparison, mainly because the SAT’s focuses on a different aspect of English than the Gaokao.

                So what about the average English speaking citizen? China is taught the most formal of English so they can succeed in market that is still English based. But one cannot help but wonder what the future of English is when looking at any Social Media website. When such words as “dis” and “dat” are being used. When it is obvious that the average American does not know the difference between “than” and “then”. And the proper way to use “to”, “too”, and “two” are beyond most American high school student’s grasp.

                Words have power. It is evident throughout history. Words have had the ability to inspire people to rise above tyranny and take action against oppressors. It was words that was penned down in the Declaration of Independence that stated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all man are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Thomas Jefferson penned these words with the understanding of what words had the power to do.

                The powers of words do not end there. Revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya have also started because of words. Only this time the words were not put on hemp paper and sent overseas, but rather on the internet. Words can build up, and destroy. Words are the true power behind any revolution.

                Which is why I wonder, why this country insists on reducing the words that helped give birth to this nation? Why Americans would allow themselves to cheapen and degrade the very language that helped give birth to the freedoms we have today.

                The Gaokao test makes sure that the Chinese understand the importance of words. Only they distort them, and make our English words as tools for the submission of the people to their government. Without even realizing that it was the English words that was used to rebel against a government, and insist on freedom. Our language has been perverted. And instead of a country standing up against the perversion, we are simply sitting by and causing the perversion ourselves.