Borka Richter: The Sun Never Sets on an English Language

Article

It was said that the sun never set on the British Empire - but this became untrue in the 20th century as the British colonies became independent. How is it then that today the sun never sets on English, the language spread by that British Empire? And what has happened to that language? By the end of this article, we may see more clearly why it makes sense to speak of both English and Englishes, the historical processes that lead to the situation today, and possible future scenarios. Issues of identity are examined from a variety of perspectives, and the associated areas of English language teaching - as a foreign, a second or a native language - and literature are touched upon. The case of the European Union is used to illustrate salient points.