Status of English

The present day world status of English is primarily the result of two factors: the expansion of British colonial power, which peaked toward the end of the 19^th century, and the emergence of the United States as the leading economic power of the 20^th century. It is the latter factor which continues to explain the position of the English language today. The USA contains nearly four times as many English mother-tongue speakers as the UK. These two countries comprise 70% of all English-speakers in the world. Such dominance with its political and economic underpinnings, gives the Americans a controlling interest in the way the language is likely to develop.

If English is not your mother-tongue, why should you want to learn it? There are several kinds of answer given to this question.

Historical reasons. Because of the legacy of British and American imperialism, the main institutions of many countries may carry out their processing in English.

Internal political reasons. English may have a role in providing a neutral means of communication between a country's different ethnic groups.

External economic reasons. The United States' dominant economic position acts as a magnet for international business and trade, and organizations wishing to develop international markets are thus under considerable pressure to work with English. The tourist and advertising industries are particularly English-dependant but any multinational business will wish to establish office in the major English-speaking countries.

Practical reasons. English is the main language of international air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, and the leading language of international tourism.

Intellectual reasons. Most of the scientific, technological, and academic information in the world is expressed in English, and over 80 per cent of all the information stored in electronic retrieval systems is in English.

Entertainment reasons. English is the main language of popular music, satellite broadcasting, computers software and video games.

XIV. Продолжите список различий между Россией и основ­ными англоязычными странами, с одной стороны, и Великоб­ританией и США, с другой стороны.

И в Великобритании, и в США температуру часто измеряют по Фаренгейту. Чтобы перевести температуру по Фаренгейту в тем­пературу по Цельсию: вычтите 32 и умножьте на 5/9. Чтобы пе­ревести температуру по Цельсию в температуру по Фаренгейту: умножьте на 9/5 и прибавьте 32.

Массу измеряют в фунтах (1 lb = 453, 59 г), расстояние — в милях (1 ml = 1, 609 км). Баррель равен приблизительно 160 лит­рам, бушель — 35, 2 л, галлон — 3, 8 л, а пинта — 0, 6 л. Периоды времени измеряются не в месяцах, а в неделях, например 24 не­дели вместо полугода. Эта особенность характерна для американ­цев.

Подобным же образом суммы от 100 до 9900 долларов исчис­ляются сотнями, например, 1100 — это 'eleven hundred', a 7900 — 'seventy nine hundred'. Доллар в разговорной речи называется 'buck', 10-центовая монета — 'dime', а 5-центовая — 'nickel'.

Бензин в США трех классов: regular, premium, super. После­дний — самого высокого качества. В Великобритании качество бензина оценивают по числу звездочек, как гостиницы.