English in the World

Overview

Today, English is the pre-eminent global language, spoken by more than a quarter of the world’s population. 

English plays a key role in international diplomacy, trade and commerce, the global media and entertainment industries, and is used in everyday encounters across the world. 

In this English in the World module from The Open University UK, you’ll trace the history of its spread across the globe and explore the diversity that characterises present-day English in a range of everyday settings from home to education and work. 

Using both print and online materials, you’ll investigate its influence, alongside other languages, in contemporary global issues such as migration and political protest.

What you will study

This module explores the role of the English language in a tumultuous early twenty-first-century world characterised by global power shifts, grassroots protests, pandemic, and complex population flows. You’ll start by exploring how English, the language of a small island off the mainland of Europe, became the pre-eminent international language of the modern period. 

You’ll see how English changed as it spread to other countries through colonialism, and consider the impact that it has had on societies, cultures and other languages around the world. You’ll explore how the English language continues to be shaped by a growing number of users in a range of everyday settings from home to education and work, and the important role that it plays in contemporary political issues.