I live in a globalised world where time and space have been greatly shrunk by technology. Living in such a world has broadened my horizons in many ways. I am able to visit countries without physically being there, keep in contact with friends from the other half of the world and obtain vital or juicy information via different social media platforms with the touch of a screen. Most importantly, globalisation calls for interconnectedness and greater interdependence between countries as labour, technology and even ideologies are being passed around.
With the fading of frontiers between countries, the English language is becoming more and more important. English, being the most spoken language universally, creates an opportunity and a bridge for communication amongst the different races and nationalities. A personal experience for me would be the time I visited Vietnam. My inability to speak the native language made it extremely difficult to communicate with the locals, simple tasks like finding for the restroom was difficult. Fortunately, with the use of simple English, we were able to receive easy and plain instructions from the locals, allowing us to survive all 7 days in a foreign land.
Allowing for communication will also create for better understanding and appreciation of other cultures aside from our own.
I grew up in Singapore where a good percentage of my neighbours are of a different race from me, the English language has indeed proven itself useful in allowing for smooth communication. Lastly, I believe that being able to communicate well in English would put me at an advantage in career opportunities in the future as it is widely used in the global market place.
[EDITED] 260 words
Generally, this is a fluent and well supported response to the assigned topic. You make a clear case for the value of English (and that without mentioning your need for it here at NUS).
ReplyDeleteThere are a few issues with your language use though:
1) Globalisation calls > (capitalization)
2) English, being the most spoken language universally creates an opportunity and a bridge for communication amongst the different races and nationalities. > (punctuation)
3) Not being able to speak the native language, it was extremely difficult …. > (dangling modifying phrase: whois the subject of not being able …?)
4) Growing up in Singapore where a good percentage of my neighbours are of a different race from me, the English language …. > (same type of problem as the one above)
Thanks for sharing and for the fine effort!
I can't help but to nod at the end of each sentence. Indeed, globalisation has been more evident than ever, especially in the recent years. Being a wanderlust myself, I too, had encounters where the use of simple English aided me in my stay of various countries. And of course, having a strong command in the English will definitely give us the competitive edge in securing a job!
ReplyDeleteThumbs up on the structure/organisation of your content! Liked how you had an overview, followed by your personal account and ended it off with a short conclusion.
Thanks for sharing! (:
I like how you are able to point out the importance and usefulness of the English language by relating to your past experiences. Sometimes, I too find myself admiring the beauty of the English language in which it allowed people from different backgrounds and cultures to communicate efficiently.
ReplyDeleteUndoubtedly, with English being the official and first language of Singapore, having a strong grasp of the language is essential for us to have any chance of securing a decent job.
Thanks for sharing!