Next Must-Learn Language

Graddol, meanwhile, predicts that English will play a crucial role in shaping the new linguistic order. But, he says, its major impact will be in creating new generations of bilingual and multilingual speakers around the world. "English is becoming a major mechanism for social and economic exclusion and creating new divides," he said. "In many parts of the world, English is now regarded as a basic skill, like computer skills, which children learn at an early age so they can study through English later."

Businesses whose employees are not multilingual will find themselves at a disadvantage, Graddol says. In fact, employers in parts of Asia are already looking beyond English. In the next decade, the new must-learn language is likely to be Mandarin.

"Chinese is demographically huge, but when the Chinese economy has overtaken that of the United States, no one will be able to ignore its global power," Graddol said. "We know from the past that great languages of science can be overtaken. Latin was preeminent when modern science began in the 17th century."

In the future, the study predicts, most people will speak more than one language and will switch between languages for routine tasks. Monolingual English speakers may find it difficult to fully participate in a multilingual society.

"Native English speakers—particularly monolingual ones—have been too complacent about the status of their language and the lack of need to learn other languages," Graddol said.

3.2 Find factual information to prove/disprove the following:

• In future English dominance as a first language will continue to expand.

• The status of English as a global scientific language may peak soon.

• English is well established as the world largest language in terms of native speakers.

• There is a link between population social status of the language.

• In the next decade a new must-learn language is likely to be Spanish.

Writing

Write an essay providing solutions to problems on the following issue “What can be done to solve the problem of multilingualism in Ukraine?”

NOTE! An essay in which we suggest solutions to a problem is a formal piece of writing. For each suggestion made, we should mention any expected results or consequences.

THE STRUCTURE OF providing solutions to problems essay

A good essay providing solutions to problems should consist of: a) an introductory paragraph which states the problem (reasons why it has arisen can also be included); b) a main body in which we present our suggestions and results/consequences (remember to begin a new paragraph for each suggestion made); and c) a closing paragraph in which we summarise our opinion.

Introduction Paragraph 1 State the problem Main body Paragraph 2 Suggestion 1 and result Paragraph 3 Suggestion 2 and result Conclusion Final Paragraph Summarise opinion * The main body can consist of mere than two paragraphs depending on the number of suggestions you want to make