The Importance of Being ENGLISH - EDucated

 “Good English, well spoken and well written, will open more doors than a college degree. Bad English will slam doors you didn’t even know existed.”

-        William Raspberry

While travelling by the metro rail the other day,  I  overheard a very interesting conversation between two young mothers. They were discussing, rather debating, about which school their toddlers should get admitted into. Arguments and counter – arguments about the merits and demerits of the top schools in the city were being lobbed back and forth.

Two thing, about this exchange, caught my attention. The first thing was of course the extensive knowledge these two ladies had about the schools under their scanner. I think they could have beaten Google!! But what I found most interesting was that all the schools being discussed had one common thread, running through them – they were" English medium", meaning English was the medium of instruction. I decided to do a little research into this trend and come up with quite a surprising result. Most couples, from the middle class to the upper middle class families, would prefer to give their children an English Language based education. They reasoned that without a credible knowledge of the English Language, one would not go very far in today’s world.

My first reaction was that this is absurd. You do not need to know a specific language to become successful in life. There are loads of examples of people who have made it big in spite of not being proficient in English. However, the more I thought about the matter, the more I began to see that there was a lot of logic  in what they were saying.

In this age of globalization, no one can stay as an island. You have to interact and communicate cross-border. Then, how do you do it? Only one answer came into my mind, “Through the English Language”. Today, English has become the most important means of communication between people of different languages and cultures.

English has become the international language of education and business. It is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. One out of five people can speak or at least understand English. Besides, it is the official language of 53 countries. It is spoken as a first language by around 400 million people in the world. That’s quite a lot of people to speak to!! English is the language of science, aviation, computers and diplomacy. Most of the content produced on the internet (around 50%) is in English. Knowing the language will open one’s access to an incredible amount of knowledge and information.

English has now become the dominant business language and it is now almost a necessity to know this language in order to become a part  of the global work force. If one wants to increase his / her chances o getting a good job in an MNC within your country or abroad, then a solid knowledge of the English Language is a must. If one is interested in having a global outlook career-wise, then it is absolutely necessary to be well versed in English.

Why only jobs? If one wants to get admission into some of the best universities or educational institutes in the world, then also one is required to clear exams like IELTS, TOEFL etc. These exams are designed to test one’s proficiency in the English Language. The reason is very simple. If one is not comfortable with the English Language, then it would be very difficult to adjust not only academically but socially as well. Imagine how a degree from Oxford University, Cambridge University, Harvard or MIT would look on a CV!! It would immediately make it seem more illustrious.

If one decides that a global career and a foreign university degree are really not worth learning a new language, then consider the cultural and aesthetic aspects of knowing the English Language. One would be able to enjoy some of greatest works of literature by some of world’s most famous writers in the language they were intended to be read or heard. The best way to enjoy a classic is to read it in its original form. The works of Shakespeare will take on a new meaning, Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ would appear more mysterious, George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ would see more philosophical and once again Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ will make one fall in love!! Besides, some of the world’s top grossing movies, made in Hollywood are in English. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to feel Jack Dawson’s delight in the film ‘Titanic’, when he says “I’m the king of the world!” or get scared when Vito Corleone in ‘The Godfather’ says “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse...” or gape at the cool attitude with which James Band introduces himself, “The name is Bond, James Bond”. If one is not a movie buff, then also one needs to know English to listen to some wonderful music created by greats  like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, The Beatles... the list goes on endlessly. Actually English helps in connecting with the popular culture.

So, where does this discussion leave us? It tells us unambiguously that a thorough knowledge of the English Language is no longer an option but a compulsion in today’s world. If one is looking for a challenging and fulfilling life, then one must have a great deal of familiarity with the English Language. It will open up a huge number of cultural experiences, job and education opportunities like skills and ultimately make one more confident.

Written by Kusumika

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