By Olorunfunmi, Quadri Adeniyi
English Language as a course of study is an Indispensable course for educational advancement. In most cases in Nigerian economy, when you tell someone you are studying ‘English Language’ as a course of study, what comes to their minds is that you are aiming to be a teacher or a lecturer after graduating with a BSC degree in the University, but English Language has many career opportunities Also its essence and importance is beyond expectations. It does not mean that, being a teacher or a lecturer is not a good profession but not everyone wants to be a teacher or lecturer after he/she attains his/her degree.
This treatise will tell the purview and importance of ‘English Language’ in all walks of life, i.e in all aspects of life.
First off, introducing English as a language is the language of international communication. In fact, English is now the most geographically dispersed language in the world; it is the official language in 53 countries and is spoken as a first language by around 400 million people worldwide. But that is not all; it is also the most common second language in the world. According to how the British Council had projected; since 2022, over two billion people in the world are studying English language. This fact emphasises how far English language has gone viral as a language. Therefore, if by any privilege, you have the opportunity to visit different countries around the world, the best language that will allow you to communicate is English language.
Furthermore, dwelling on the scope of English language, in educational aspect, as a course of study and in different organisation, English Language as a course of study is an interesting course that enables students to acquire the ability called Critical Thinking. Also, it makes it easy to study other languages. But not just that, English as a course of study exposes you to different aspects such as: media communication; feature writing and news report, public speaking, editing, literary writing, and also a critic who writes a review and other aspects involving critical thinking. This is to say that; as an English student, you can work in any organisation, inasmuch as you have the ability to critique and transform regular things into something new.
Also, English language as a course of study, deals with the study of humans. HUMANISM is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion. With this being said, English language is not just a course of study in educational aspect, it covers all aspects of human life. The fact that English is a language makes it one of the most important aspects of human life. English Language varies into different types, we have the British English, American English, Standard English and so on. Even though it is impossible to estimate the exact number of dialects in the English language that are spoken around the world, it is estimated that over 160 different English dialects exist around the world. This fact makes English an important language in the sense that even in your own dialect, you can still use English language to communicate to reflect your sociocultural realities, inasmuch as you know and understand the rules of the language.
In addition, It is easy to see just how important English is around the world. Many international businesses conduct meetings in English, universities teach courses in English and, around the world, tourists and travellers use English as a common language.
But how did English become so important? Well, it all goes back to the British Empire, which at its peak covered 25% of the earth’s surface. During colonial times, British rulers often obliged the people in those countries to speak English rather than their native languages. Although the origin of English as a global language has a complicated past, the language has left an important mark on media, trade and business. If you are still not sure about whether to learn the language, then check out the reasons below:
1. English is a global language; it is the most spoken language in the world. Different countries communicate with English language.
2. English can help you get a job; English is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy, and tourism. Knowing English increases your chances of getting a good job in a multinational company within your home country or of finding work abroad.
3. Learning English can help you meet new people; English is the official language of 53 countries and is used as a lingua franca (a mutually known language) by people from all around the world. This means that whether you’re working in Canada, or traveling in USA, studying English language can help you communicate with people around the world.
4. Many scientific papers are written in English.
5. English is the language of the media industry.
6. English is the language of the Internet.
7. Travelling is a lot easier with a good knowledge of English.
8. English is one of the most important. languages for business.
9. With English, you can study all over the world.
10. English gives you access to multiple cultures.
In conclusion, English, either as a language or as a course of study, is one of the most important aspects of life, inasmuch as this current century is concerned, because it dominates almost all the most important aspects in human life. English makes you a relevant being amongst others.
OLORUNFUNMI, QUADRI ADENIYI
@Lagos state University.
