English as a language of intercultural communication

With the development of transportation means and communication media, people have moved worldwide and communicated globally. The interaction and coexistence of people from many different backgrounds and ethnicities have turned our societies into multicultural ones. Our daily life, especially that in urban metropolitan areas, has increasingly become multinational and multicultural, producing multicultural individuals who belong to various discourse communities and affiliating and identifying with many different cultures and ways of communication. Those people play various social roles in various interacting contexts and gain multiple social identities. In our time of globalization, we have more to be exposed to and share with than ever before in terms of culture—beliefs, worldviews, values, attitudes, and ideologies—but at the same time much of them remains different and unshared, which is enhanced by raising people’s awareness of cultural, ethnic, and religious identities.

Today English is the language of the world. English is the major international language of communication in such areas as science, technology and business. It is the language of literature, education, modern music, and international tourism. English is the major language of diplomacy, it is one of the official languages of the United Nation organization and other political organizations.

With over 340 million first language speakers, over 500 million second language speakers and billions of foreign language speakers, English is indisputably an international language. In every continent, from Canada to the Cook Islands, the USA to Uganda, Ireland to India, Belize to Brunei, Malaysia to Malta, English is spoken as a national or official language. Thinking in this way, English is less a ‘foreign’ language than an ‘intercultural’ language. English is not only a language that ‘the foreigners’ speak. English is so widespread that it does not ‘belong’ to anyone. No one ‘owns’ English. It is a language that anyone can use as a means of accessing hundreds of other cultures and billions of other people. In this respect, it really is a key to the rich treasure box of the world.

Russia has relations with many countries. More and more direct contacts are established with the countries of Europe, with the United States, Great Britain, Canada and other English-speaking countries.

Taking into account the economic development in our country, hundreds of joint ventures have appeared in every city and town of Russia recently. Besides, a lot of foreign delegations come to our country. Our businessmen, tourists, experts often go abroad. As I have already mentioned English is the language of the international communication. That is why it is very important to learn English.

Nowadays, a lot of people study foreign languages in every possible way. Foreign-language study groups are organized at industrial enterprises, at the offices of big firms, at the educational establishments, at research institutes.

I think English is worth studying. There is a proverb "A new language — a new world".

There are some schools specialized in studying foreign languages in Russia. Their pupils have lessons in foreign language every day. But their number is rather small. Most schools have Foreign Language only once or twice a week. It's impossible to master any foreign language under such conditions. That's why those who want to improve their knowledge have to take private lessons.

We, students of the department of biology of the Bashkir State University, try to use every chance of mastering the language. We take part in conferences, organized by our University and other educational establishments of our city. We realize that English is the language of international conferences and we hope to participate in them. Besides, taking part in conferences, we try to get ready for defending our diploma papers in English.