Updated version of previous presentation on Global English. Adapted for 2015 International days @ Artevelde University College, Ghent, Belgium

1. GLOBAL ENGLISH
Jurgen van Raak

2. ABOUT ME
 Teacher of English @ Rotterdam University of
Applied Science
 Research into internationalisation
 Experience: teaching & travelling abroad
 http://www.slideshare.net/jurgenvanraak

3. GLOBAL English
 Is NOT: superficial English!
 Is: about awareness (and when
possible agreement) about the
English language, its speakers
around the world and all the pitfalls
we could step into…

4. WHY TEACH English?
Because it is the native language in:
 England?
 (Northern) Ireland?
 Scotland?
 Wales?
 U.S.A?
 Canada?
 Australia?
 New Zealand?
 South Africa?
 Jamaica?

5. PITFALL
 “We teach English so that students are able to
communicate with native speakers”

6. FACT
 Around 375 million people speak English as
their second language all over the world
 About 750 million people speak English as a
foreign language
 Approximately 80% of all websites
are in English

7. IN FACT, English is…
 one of the most spoken languages in the world
and by far the most common
 one of the ‘largest’ languages by number of
native speakers, after Mandarin, Chinese,
Hindi and Spanish
 the most commonly spoken language in the
world, combining native and non-native
speakers

8. IN FACT, English is…
 spoken on every continent
 the second language in more than forty
countries with ties to England: from India and
Pakistan to the countries of the South Pacific
and many African states
 currently the language most often taught as a
foreign language.

9. SO…
 Around the world, English isn’t identical to the
way it is spoken in England.
 Language evolves when spoken by different
people in different places. And it changes more
rapidly when millions of people use it for
working and travelling like today

10. GLOBAL English
 More and more non-native English speakers
use the language to communicate with fellow
non-natives.
 French speakers often find it easier to speak
English to Finns - and Greeks to Guatemalans
and Hungarians to Hondurans, and so on -
than to native English speakers.
from: Voertaal English – Ronald van de Krol

11. GLOBAL English
 Native English speakers tend to mumble and
to slur over letters, syllables or entire words
 They use slang and jargon
 And… they assume everybody speaks English
so well that they needn’t bother to slow down
to check whether the poor non-native speaker
is able to follow what they are saying
from: Voertaal English – Ronald van de Krol

12. PITFALLS
1. Pronunciation (from ‘to pronounce’;-) vs.
Spelling
 Receive
 People
 Phoebe
 Jeans
 Piece
 Deep
 Be
/i:/

13. PITFALLS
Pronunciation vs. Spelling,
continued
Jeans vs. Sweater
Receive vs. Veil
Veil vs. Veal

14. PITFALLS
2. British English vs. American English
Labour Labor
Judgement
Judgment
Organise Organize
Programme
Program
Traveler Traveller
Grey Gray
Same meaning,
different spelling

15. PITFALLS
British English vs. American English, continued
cookie-biscuit center-centre movie-film
pants-trousers fall-autumn beach-
seaside
color-colour candy-sweet vacation-
holiday
apartment-flat eraser-rubber french fries-chips
kid-child store-shop elevator-lift

16. PITFALLS
British English vs. American English, it gets
worse..
Mate: Friend Partner
Mad: Crazy
Angry
Rubber: Eraser

17. PITFALLS
3. Dunglish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEfZKQ0YCEw&feature=related

18. PITFALLS
4. Spanglish
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppJDiSai2Pg
Googlear/gugulear = to
Google
El mouse = the computer
mouse

19. PITFALLS
5. Indianglish

20. PITFALLS
6. Culture
When speaking English in an international
context culture should never be
underestimated! Customs, habits, dos and
taboos…...
Meaning of ”YES” Ford Pinto

21. PITFALLS
Culture pt. 2
Successful European billboard campaign. Failure in Middle
East!

22. TIPS
 Avoid miscommunication: be specific
 Use structure (in reports, articles,
presentations)
 Use short, simple sentences
 Don’t take culture for granted: prepare
 Be aware of 4 language skills: 2 active, 2
passive

23. CONCLUSION
 Using Global English means being aware of
the pitfalls, working with the solutions and
avoiding miscommunication
 When possible/necessary: cooperate, learn
from eachother’s strenghts, cover your
weaknesses?

24. THANKS!