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Globish (Nerrière)

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A combination of the words Global and English, Globish is a version of the English language that uses only the most common 1500 English words. It recognizes, and forms a system for organization of, the actual English used by non-English-speakers of varying native languages when communicating with each other or with Anglophones.

Unlike many subsets of English constructed by English speakers for various purposes (Special English, Basic English), Globish is derived by non-native English speakers from the common practices they instinctively adopt when using English as a "middle ground" between many cultures. However, because only 1500 basic words define Globish, it becomes far simpler for novices to absorb those specific spellings and pronunciations than with conventional means of language learning. When using Globish, the recommendation is to stick to simple short sentences, which does not prevent the result from still being correct English; it just achieves an immediate understanding hit rate far better with, or among, non-native speakers, and does not impair the communication with Anglophones.

Globish also proposes a number of communication tips which help ensure a better understanding without enhancing one’s command of English.

It also eventually offers software programs, which flag the too-complicated words that would not be understood by all audiences, and gives lists of simpler and more frequent synonyms which will ensure the best possible level of understanding.


Uses and alternatives

Use of Globish has continued to expand as a tool of common understanding in simple international communication. This is due to its practicality, in parallel with the need of means of communication that the globalization phenomenon entails. It was created specifically with the business world in mind due to a project its creator had with IBM when in an international Executive position.

Globish in use is a defined and restricted version of English, and thus a natural language unlike the constructed languages, such as Esperanto. Ido, Volapük or Interlingua, are rarely taught and do not have many speakers. Natural languages serve as a better base for widespread communication since they have a core set of speakers. The more speakers, and the more widespread they are, the more likely a language will serve well. When a person chooses a second language to learn in order to communicate with others, it is natural that the number of people (and which people) already speak and write each given language is the major basis for the choice. Thus the widespread existing use of English across the globe leads to an increase in the use of English, and especially of forms like Globish and International English.

Some attempts at formalizing Globish

The term Globish has also been used for some attempts at formalizing it, such as:

  1. A small subset of English with substantially simplified spelling and pronunciation proposed in 1998 by Madhukar Gogate.[1]
  2. A small 1500-word subset of English with conventional spelling and pronunciation, serving as an aid for French-speaking people to learn core English. Promoted in the 2004 French book Parlez Globish by Jean-Paul Nerrière. (Versions of this book are now available in several other languages.)[2]

Debate about Globish

This expansion of Globish goes to the point that some consider it a menace to cultural diversity and purity of non-English languages. Some also find Globish limited in what it can express, but the idea is that people would share a vocabulary set up by the creation of the language.

Sample of Globish

English:

There are 615,000 words in the Oxford English Dictionary. This is a collection of all the words that have been used in the English language. Very few native English speakers know more than 80000 of these words (on their best day). And though they may remember 80000 words, very few native English speakers will use more than 7500 English words in their communication.

Globish:

The English Language can be extremely complicated if an English speaker or writer wants to show off all of its possibilities in words and structure to other English speakers. However, the form of English called Globish gives us a simpler, more universal tool to communicate with more than 5 times as many people.
The simple goal of Globish is to reach only a level -- a common ground -- where everyone understands everyone else, everywhere in the world.

See also

References

  1. ^ Gogate Globish Profile
  2. ^ For more information see Nerrière's site below.
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