It is interesting to know about the english language
ENGLISH is losing its political and cultural associations and becoming the prop, erty of all cultures. Over 70 countries in the world use English as the official or semi-official language and in 20 more English occupies an important position. It j$ the main foreign language taught within most school systems. Worldwide, many newspapers are published in English and it is the language of much radio and tele-vision broadcasting. English is the language of international businness, the main language of airports, air traffic control and international shipping. It is the language of science, technology and medicine, and it is estimated that two-thirds of all scientific papers are first published in English. It is the language of diplomacy and sport; it is one of the working language of the United Nations and the language used by the International Olympic Committee. International pop culture and advertizing are also dominated by English. 70 % of the world's mail is written in English, and 80 % of all information in electronic retrieval systems is stored in English.
But the English language began to spread throughout the world only in the 17th century, when the first English settlements arose in North America. The rapid growth of population in the United States in the following years increased the number of English-speakers greatly. In the course of massive migration of people in the 19th and 20th centuries English became a mother tongue or one of the officical languages in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the South Africa Re-pablic that finally established English as a world language.
Nowadays English is the most wide-spread language geographically, second one only to Chinese in the number of people who speak it (there are 400 million speakers of English against 700 million Chinese speakers; 200 million speak Russian and 100 million German as a native language).
Many people believe that the English language is rather an easy one to learn because it doesn't have such a difficult grammar as modern Russian, German or Greek. But it is true only by half. One shouldn't forget the problems of English spelling, pronunciation and prepositions. Learning any foreign language is not an easy thing. If you want to master a foreign language, you must be ready to make efforts and be patient.
Words and Phrases:
settlement - поселение to establish - упрочить, устанавливать
to spread - распространяться wide-spread- широко распространенный
the number of - число second to - быть вторым после
in the course - в процессе to make effort - прилагать усилия
to increase - увеличивать to master a language- овладевать языков
increase -увеличение patient -терпеливый
one shouldn't forget - нельзя забывать rather - слишком
BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH
"England and America are the two countries separated by the same language."
G. B. Shaw
These two varieties of the English language are very similar to each other. Many people believe that these are the same languages with only a few minor differences in grammar, spelling and vocabulary. Differences in pronunciation are sometimes very noticeable, but most American and British speakers can understand each other without much difficulty.
These differences emerged during the isolation of America from Great Britain in the 18th century. The United States had long been the "melting pot" of the world. People of many nationalities came to America and they brought their native traditions and languages with them. Those people adopted the English language and the very flexible English language took a lot of innovations from them. Differences between English and American English are rapidly disappearing nowadays. Modern British English is strongly influenced by American English. A lot of Americanisms from the language of advertizing, journalism, technology, rock music and show business have come into everyday speech of British people.
There are too many common words which are spelled differently in England and the US, for example:
American I Word Translation | British
thru_ через__ through_
caliber_ калибр_ calibre__
center__ центр__ centre_
fiber__ волокно__ fibre_
theater__ театр_ theatre_
check_ чек__ cheque_
program__ программа__ programme
organization организация__ organisation
honor__ честь__ honour_
behavior__ поведение__ behaviour_
labor__ труд_ labour_
traveler_ путешественник traveller_
But American English is not British, they say. Compare the list of some other words:
_In America Word Translation _In England_
_railroad__ железная дорога__ railway_
conductor проводник ж.д.__ railway guard
ticket window билетная жд. касса booking office
gas__ бензин, газолин__ petrol_
fall__ осень__ autumn_
side-walk__ тротуар__ pavement_
subway__ метрополитен__ underground
store__ магазин__ shop_
truck грузовик lorry
elevator лифт lift
Such words as teen-ager, superpower, know-how, video, body building, shaping and a great deal of others are well-known all over the world. There are a lot of such words in Britain and American English. It is highly advisable for the people who learn English to know both forms of those words which are in most common usage.
Words and Phrases:
similar - похожий, подобный teen-ager - подросток
the same - одинаковый, похожий noticeable - заметный
to believe - верить, полагать to advise - советовать
to emerge - возникать, появляться advice - совет
"melting pot" - зд.: смеситель advisable - рекомендуемый
flexible - гибкий a great deal of - множество
to adopt - принимать, усваивать a lot of - много
innovation - новшество, нововведение
variety -разновидность
know-how - умение; знание дела; секреты производства
Tasks:
1. Answer the following questions.
a. Are differences in pronunciation sometimes noticeable?
b. What are the reasons of differences between modern British English and American English?
c. Are differences between the two languages disappearing or increasing ?
d. Is modern British English strongly influenced by American English nowadays?
2. Make up short dialogues about British and American English.
BRITAIN: PAST AND PRESENT
Great Britain is a purely geographical name. People often use this name as the name of the country but it is not its direct meaning. Why is it called Great Britain? In France there is a peninsula called Bretaigne. When people from this province came to what they later called Great Britain they found some familiar conditions there and first of all its damp climate. Since this country was larg^ than their own Bretaigne they called it "Great Britain". The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom includes four nations with marked differences: the Welsh, the Scots, the English and the Irish.
Each part of the UK has its capital. The capital of England is London; Wales has Cardiff; Scotland has Edinburgh; the capital city of Northern Ireland is Belfast. Only those people who live in England call themselves "English", Scottish and \/Velsh are called "British people" or "British", and Irish people call themselves "Irish".
Each country also has a national "emblem" or sign. The English emblem is a red rose. The Welsh emblem is a vegetable or flower - a leek or a daffodil. The Scottish emblem is a wild plant - a thistle. And the Irish emblem is another wild plant - a shamrock. The United Kingdom's flag is the Union Jack. It's red, white and blue. It is made of three flags-the crosses of St.George, St.Andrew, and St.Patric, which represent England, Scotland and Nothern Ireland. The British national anthem is God Save the Queen (King).
Almost every nation has a reputation of some kind. The English are reputed to be cold, reserved, rather haughty people who do not yell in the street, make love in public or change their governments as often as they change their underclothes. They are steady, easy-going, and fond of sport.
The fire is the focus of the English home. Even when central heating is installed it is kept so low in the English home that Americans and Russians get chilblains, as the English get nervous headaches from stiffness in theirs.
Most English people have been slow to adopt rational reforms such the metric system, which came into general use in 1975. They do not want to trouble of adapting themselves to new.
The conservatism may be illustrated by reference of the public attitude to the monarchy. The English are amongst the most amiable people in the world, they can also be very ruthless. They have a genius for compromise, but can enforce their idea of compromise on others with surprising efficiency.
They are generous in small matters, but more cautious in big ones. The Scots, the Irish and the Welsh are not the English. They have a lot of in common but all of them have their own national spirit, national pride and they cherish their customs and traditions.
Words and Phrases:
haughty people - надменные to get chilblains - получить озноб
to yell - вопить, визжать stiffness - духота
underclothes - нижнее белье to adopt - приспосабливать
steady - постоянный ruthless - жестокий, безжалостный
to cherish - лелеять easy-going - легкие на подъем
cautious - осторожный generous - великодушный, благородный
to house - вмещать headache - головная боль
focus -центр amiable -дружелюбный
to focus - сосредоточивать genius - дух
Tasks:
1- Render the text in your own words.
2. Draw a parallel between Russian and English.
3- Express doubts, hesitations or disbelief in the response to the text.
THE ROLE OF THE MONARCHY
The age of democracy has not produced any significant revolutionary movement in Britain. The monarchy survives, but has no power and does not want any Parliament to establish its rights. The powers of the Queen are nowhere exactly defined. Theoretically every act of the state is done in her name; every letter sent out by any government department is posted in an envelope marked "On Her Majesty's Service". All ministers in the Government are appointed by her. But in reality everything that she does is done "on the advice of her ministers". Laws passed by two Houses do not become affective until she has signed them.
The Queen Elizabeth II was born in London 21 April 1926. She was crowned at Westminster on the 2 of June in 1953. She was the sixth Queen Regnant of Britain and second of her name. Today the Queen is not only the head of state, but also an important symbol of national unity.
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, i.e. the power of the Queen is limited by the Parliment. But the real power is concentrated in the hands of the great trusts and banks and the tiny section of rich property owners. They control the land, industry, finance, trade, armed forces, police, judiciary and mass media. The Monarchy is used by the ruling class as an ideological weapon of maintaining the stability of the regime. In the law the Queen is the Head of the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. She reigns, but does not rule, although the Queen is the third richest woman in the world.