THE WORDS LANGUAGE

This essay will explore how bill Bryson in his article "the words language" uses hummer and a conversational tone to illustrate why he says English is the universal language. it will also look at how other languages have words that English cannot compare to and the concept of borrowing from other languages.

Bill Bryson is saying that English is fast becoming the universal language despite the fact there are still those who cannot speak the language properly. He substantiates this by mentioning that even countries such as France who due to the war against english encrochment were not likely to speak the language are now communicating in English. To emphasise his point he goes on further to say that the language is so broadly spread that there are more English students in china than there are people in the United States.

 English is the one language with a vast command of words. To ague this further he explains that  English has borrowed a lot of words from other languages so that it can express a sentiment he uses word the reader is familiar with such as the borrowed word macho. He argues that English is the most versatile language and the most easily spelt one. This may be said to substantiate the fact that it is easier to learn which he mentions in his article.

He uses hummer to bring across his message that English is the most developed language. This is done throughout the entire article. He mentions that Gaelic has words that are so outrageously spelt that one is given the illusion that the spelling and punctuation was devised by separate communities, meeting in separate rooms. He mentions how the Italians have gross or radar disgusting names for food and how the Arabs are said to have 6000 words for camels and Carmel equipment!

The text is written in a conversational tone. This is illustrated when he states that the residents of the Trobriand Islands of Papua New Guinea have 100 words for dug and then further says "don't ask me why" as if he were talking directly to the reader. The writer uses a conversational tone to make the reader familiarise with the text to bring across hummer and to invite the reader into the text by using everyday language which the reader is familiar with.

Bryson ague's that other languages lack the command and versatility that English has by saying that the Eskimos despite having fifty types of words for types of snow they do not have a word for snow. He further substantiates this by saying that English is the only language were you can roam with considerable freedom between passive and active senses. This is illustrated when he says that you can say "I kicked the dog" "or the dog was kicked by me"

The writer brings to surface the fact that the British and the Americans are drifting apart. That in the future they may not be able to understand each other. He then says that even though they will confuse each they won’t confuse the word as there has been a lot of borrowing from the language.

He argues that English is fast becoming the language in use globally. He states English has become 'the ligua franca of business, since, education, politics and pop music.