Exercises

47. Below are twelve headings to match the eleven paragraphs of the text. One heading is odd. Label the paragraphs with appropriate letters corresponding to relevant headings from the list.

Standards vs. complexes;	"Anglo" culture out of the picture;
New contender for lingua franca;	New challenge for EFL teachers;
Local drive to boost English skills;	Variety for inter-ethnic communication;
Curriculum of English to reflect regional context;	Reallocation of funds;
Task for new curriculum;	Language-culture link;
English in East and Southeast Asia;	Social English of new textbooks.

48. Answer the questions on the text.

1. English contains the cultural component, but is English linked to one sole culture? Why/Why not?

2. Is English currently present in East and Southeast Asia?

3. If English is to function as the lingua franca in the region, what qualities must it possess?

4. What is the difference between a national language and a language serving as the lingua franca?

5. Will a European ESL teacher meet expectations, if they go to the region to teach? Why/Why not/In which case?

6. What do the ESL speakers lose and gain when they study a local variety of the English language?

7. What do they lose and gain when they stick to standard English?

8. If the Southeast Asian nations establish a local standard for English, where will the textbooks differ?

9. What does the author regret about Japan?

10. Why may certain governments favour the spread of English in their midst if they establish local curricula?

11. What prospects does the discussed approach promise for local teachers and scholars?

Talking and Writing

49. Following the Johnsonian model "language will always be self-governing, self-regulating, follow its own laws" and "supervision by the language police, however well intentioned, will always fail". This suggests that English, as well as other numerous languages will change its shape. What trends do you predict? Consider the tips below.

    Britain's minister for education and employment suggested using "English fluency as a platform to … promote our (British) culture overseas,"	A senior minister in the Singapore government, put it recently, "When I speak English I want the world to know I'm a Singaporean", advocating the local variety of English.
    These days, when the young Swiss (as well as young Europeans) from different language areas of Switzerland encounter each other they prefer to communicate in English.	By the end of the year 2000, 750m people would have English as a second language, and second-language speakers would outnumber first-language speakers for the first time in history.

50. Predictably, communities will develop numerous variations of the language; existing variations will also change, but retain their characteristic features. Now it is about standards and deviations.

1. What will be the basis, the inviolable part of the language and what is likely to be more in flux?

2. What "alien" components will be added to local varieties?

3. What might the language lose overseas?

4. Will the British variety remain strong and where?

5. Will everything remain unchanged and will Johnson have been proved wrong?

6. Why do you love English?

7. What are some of the attractive features of standard British English?

51. Write a report containing your personal perception of the prospects of English learning in Ukraine, considering the existing trends and implications. See the tips on report writing below.

A factual report is a kind of narrative writing, normally formal; therefore, it is written in impersonal style. A factual report does not include the writer's feelings, but only facts. Don't drift off! The facts presented should be essential and bear directly on the subject. Do not pad your report. Use no truisms or platitudes. Use of the passive voice and reporting verbs such as suggest, add, com­plain, etc. is frequent. Never use "I" or "we". The events are described in complex sentence structures, well-developed paragraphs, high level of vocabulary, non-colloquial English. Avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding. Short forms are not acceptable unless direct speech (quotes from the people involved in the event) is used.

Paragraph Plan for Reports

Factual reports

Introduction. Paragraph 1 Summary of the event (write about time, place, people involved. Do not give detailed, chatty descriptions -give only facts.)

Main Body*. Paragraphs 2, 3, 4 Development of the event(s) (describe the main event(s), people involved. Give detailed facts. If it is two or more events, each paragraph should deal with one topic.)

Conclusion Final Paragraph Comments / Reference to future developments

*The main body may include one to three paragraphs.

Useful clichés: "This report concerns itself with the current …"; "The purpose of this report is to present the findings of …"; "It is our considered opinion that …"

R ole-play

52. Imagine that linguistic academia have been summoned to a conference to discuss the circumstances and analyse the development trends of the English language. There is a break in the proceedings now and you talk to a colleague. Now you are an ardent advocate of the standard British English, while your counterpart is a convinced exponent of regional ideology, promoting local varieties. Both of you are convinced that collaboration is essential and try to find common ground in the issues as listed below. Act this conversation out in pairs, then report about your agreed point of view.

• If a new model of the language is to be set up to serve as a lingua franca, how much will it affect grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation in the view to maintain English equally understandable world-wide?

• How much can both parties co-operate in the development of the new dictionaries, teaching curricula and materials?

• What teacher-training schemes can be implemented jointly?

53. Now imagine that the aforementioned conference is to take place in only a few months. You have a job at a linguistic research institution and your department has received an invitation to attend the conference. You start a conversation with your department manager to find out who is going, meaning that time is pressing and the department may be late with the necessary papers. However, the boss replies that nobody is going as Ukraine is not included in the problems to be discussed. You disagree. Try to make the boss reconsider his/her decision. Below are some of the possible reasons for participation. The boss will be critical, sceptical, but constructive. He/she will ask for explanations of what you say on the spur of the moment.

Update the information on the issues of the conference agenda.	Participate in the formation of the international opinion.	Obtain information for subsequent elaboration of Ukraine’s ESL doctrine.	Track the development of events that are similar to those in Europe and CIS countries.
Participate in joint research.	Clinch possible contracts for teaching services, materials development or textbook publishing.	Network (find business contacts).	Have a good time and see the world.