--
Dear sayadaw,
I am Dr.Soe Min Min Nyunt ,Demonstrator of
Forensic department of University of Medicine ,Mandalay.I am a pupil
of Dr.Thaung linn.He said me to mail to u on behalf of his.He told me
that he taught u english last 4yrs ago during his forensic MSC
studenthood in Yangon.
I'd like to know the following facts please
reply as soon as possible.
-Is there a center for forensic medicine for centre for Medical
Jurisprudence in Calculta.?
-If there is, particular or I/d of the head of the centre,address of
the centre or medical jurisprudence and address of the department in
Calculta University.
I will invite u in my personal Gtalk.If you
wish me ,please accept it.

With best wishes,
yours sincerely,
Dr.Soe Min Nyunt

Prize of international competition

VALUES FOR LIFE International Essay Contest


The Peace We’ve Never Known

by Mr. Bhuwan Giri
Grade 12, Motithang Higher Secondary School
Thimphu, Bhutan

"Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war." - Maria Montessori

I sit down in front of the television as the newsreader starts with a pleasant smile. The next half an hour she some how keeps that smile going as she reports over wars, sensational cold-blooded murderers and people dying from cancer to cat-scratch infection. I look at my grandfather who sits beside me on the sofa with prayer beads on his palms. I hear him mumbling away prayers as he sees starving, skeletal children and famine struck families in countries he does not even know exists. I look at my grandfather and then at the newsreader. My grandfather was a villager coming to live with his son; the newsreader might have been a Stanford graduate. I get confused between the two of them so I change the channel hurriedly.

Today we find these kinds of people making up our homes and offices. A myriad of views (or in many cases the absence of one) for a problem that concerns all of us in one way or the other. And for most of us with our own lives tangled up in the struggle for existence, World Peace seems like one of the last things we would be concerned about.

Yet our ignorance or indifference makes the problem only uglier and perhaps one day we will realize that all the while we were responsible. Take for example the number of people who died today of hunger in Ethiopia has a profound connection with the amount of food each of us wasted yesterday. Or, the guilt of having displaced hundreds of families by flood just because some of us wanted a few extra chairs. The fact that there is not the “Peace” that we have read in fairy tales is because there are very few people who are concerned about it; very few people for whom there is more to people dying from civil wars and famines than just another feature program on Discovery Channel.

The values concerning peace and social justice in a society, though more or less the same throughout the world become very difficult to define and categorize into specific terms. First thing is that there is not anything sensational or new in it. We all have dozed over it countless times in sermons and lectures all our lives. Firstly, I have taken care that these values are practical enough, taking into account human fallacies and errors rather than just being morally and ideally right. The notion of brotherly love in a community marred by communal disharmony should come out of its scholarly ideals and be practical enough to have any effect. In addition to whatever one might preach about love, the values of tolerance and mutual respect for each other automatically have an important role to play. So in this way I’ve found that any moral values that make or break a society has an intimate and almost an unalterable relationship with the other, making it almost impossible for me to segregate it into separate components.

Most of the conflict in the world today is more because of our two major failings. First, in our ethical and humanitarian commitments, and then in our economic obligations. Violence and blood shed today results, I feel, when people fail to respect and understand each other. For nobody is right or wrong, it’s just how we are taught to interpret it.
I strongly believe that a society which does not respect the so called “deviated ideals” finds itself sitting on a potentially explosive recipe for communal clashes. A society needs to have enough self-belief to know that other people doing whatever they want to or holding different perceptions is in no way going to affect our well-being. No one else has to think the same way, or believe in the same thing, as long as one gives the utmost respect to others and their right to do as they will.

We would all have to trust each other, and not need to enforce our own rules on people to 'be sure' that they are going to do what's right. For example, in the medieval Mughal Empire of India, Hindus and the Muslims lived in exemplary harmony. Many of the great Mughal Architecture like the magnificence of the Taj Mahal and the forts at Agra and Delhi testify to the Mughal affluence in terms of art, cultural richness and social harmony. In fact the Mughal Empire showed us what mutual tolerance and respect can achieve during its 300 years of rise, expansion and decline. When emperors like Aurangzeb started persecuting Non-Muslims and abandoned the age old policy of tolerance pursued so keenly by his predecessors, the Mughal Empire started falling on the hands of his weak successors and the outraged Non-Muslim Community.

The menace of terrorism today grows on the same feeling of hatred and suspicion that perhaps all of us have felt sometime or the other. Whether it is your anger at your corrupt boss at office or the envy towards your more successful neighbor next door, it all adds up in small pieces to the frustration and tension that ultimately gives way to the various acts of malice that we see today. Sectarian violence and terrorism without a doubt should be condemned; but before that, I feel that we should correct the schools and the streets from where the so called ‘terrorists’ have emerged. As we have heard it so many times before, “Heroes are not born, they are made;” the same applies for the ‘villains’ of our society too.

The other value I suppose is less moralistic and perhaps more socialist. I believe economics can create better humans. Take for example when there are large economic insufficiencies in a society then the feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction and revolt automatically creeps in. Poverty is a crime that very few own up; while we are running after the Osamas of the world we have ignored the place where they find their victims. All of us are painfully aware that the most terrible acts of terrorism often affect the poor and economically vulnerable.

When there is equitable economic growth in a society, whether it is through capitalism or socialism, studies have shown that crimes such as theft, robbery, vandalism and corruption are less frequent. These things of course do not guarantee a peaceful society but if these bases are secured then we can perhaps say that we have at least made a beginning.

Social justice, on the other hand, is a lot harder to classify because each country and culture has its own ideas about justice, and one cannot really extrapolate what a world of social justice would be like. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Peace isn’t the absence of violence, it’s the presence of social justice.” Regardless of its definition, peace and social justice one may agree are two sides of the same coin.

The first answer to social justice may be the establishment of a strong judiciary. A good legislative or a judicial structure does not in any case guarantee social justice. Law books and court rooms certainly facilitate it but the main responsibility I feel again lies on each and every one of us. If we teach ourselves to respect all men irrespective of their color and the depth of their pocket, then we might just find ourselves living in a more humane society. Great strivers for social justice, like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., have always maintained that a society is dead where men are not treated as men.

I have wondered a few times during the course of this essay, is peace and social justice in a society really achievable? Or, are they like mirages haunting a traveler dying of thirst? There is a great irony when I open the news paper and see people dying of hunger in one page and the sumptuous wedding of Tom Cruise in another. Do these small acts of ‘concern’ have any effect at all, or are they just too small in practicality and fall flat on their faces when they are pitted in against the inherent greed driving us for ages. I take the example of my own country, Bhutan, I can not say Bhutan is the epitome of peace nor can I say that social justice here is upheld in its truest sense (and I doubt if ever there was one). I can not judge a nation, I can not judge the people of a nation, but I can judge myself and what I have done to make my home, my school and my street a better place to live in.

Essay Home http://pvshawaii.squarespace.com/essay-bhutan/
http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8653

Prize of international competition

VALUES FOR LIFE International Essay Contest


The Peace We’ve Never Known

by Mr. Bhuwan Giri
Grade 12, Motithang Higher Secondary School
Thimphu, Bhutan

"Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war." - Maria Montessori

I sit down in front of the television as the newsreader starts with a pleasant smile. The next half an hour she some how keeps that smile going as she reports over wars, sensational cold-blooded murderers and people dying from cancer to cat-scratch infection. I look at my grandfather who sits beside me on the sofa with prayer beads on his palms. I hear him mumbling away prayers as he sees starving, skeletal children and famine struck families in countries he does not even know exists. I look at my grandfather and then at the newsreader. My grandfather was a villager coming to live with his son; the newsreader might have been a Stanford graduate. I get confused between the two of them so I change the channel hurriedly.

Today we find these kinds of people making up our homes and offices. A myriad of views (or in many cases the absence of one) for a problem that concerns all of us in one way or the other. And for most of us with our own lives tangled up in the struggle for existence, World Peace seems like one of the last things we would be concerned about.

Yet our ignorance or indifference makes the problem only uglier and perhaps one day we will realize that all the while we were responsible. Take for example the number of people who died today of hunger in Ethiopia has a profound connection with the amount of food each of us wasted yesterday. Or, the guilt of having displaced hundreds of families by flood just because some of us wanted a few extra chairs. The fact that there is not the “Peace” that we have read in fairy tales is because there are very few people who are concerned about it; very few people for whom there is more to people dying from civil wars and famines than just another feature program on Discovery Channel.

The values concerning peace and social justice in a society, though more or less the same throughout the world become very difficult to define and categorize into specific terms. First thing is that there is not anything sensational or new in it. We all have dozed over it countless times in sermons and lectures all our lives. Firstly, I have taken care that these values are practical enough, taking into account human fallacies and errors rather than just being morally and ideally right. The notion of brotherly love in a community marred by communal disharmony should come out of its scholarly ideals and be practical enough to have any effect. In addition to whatever one might preach about love, the values of tolerance and mutual respect for each other automatically have an important role to play. So in this way I’ve found that any moral values that make or break a society has an intimate and almost an unalterable relationship with the other, making it almost impossible for me to segregate it into separate components.

Most of the conflict in the world today is more because of our two major failings. First, in our ethical and humanitarian commitments, and then in our economic obligations. Violence and blood shed today results, I feel, when people fail to respect and understand each other. For nobody is right or wrong, it’s just how we are taught to interpret it.
I strongly believe that a society which does not respect the so called “deviated ideals” finds itself sitting on a potentially explosive recipe for communal clashes. A society needs to have enough self-belief to know that other people doing whatever they want to or holding different perceptions is in no way going to affect our well-being. No one else has to think the same way, or believe in the same thing, as long as one gives the utmost respect to others and their right to do as they will.

We would all have to trust each other, and not need to enforce our own rules on people to 'be sure' that they are going to do what's right. For example, in the medieval Mughal Empire of India, Hindus and the Muslims lived in exemplary harmony. Many of the great Mughal Architecture like the magnificence of the Taj Mahal and the forts at Agra and Delhi testify to the Mughal affluence in terms of art, cultural richness and social harmony. In fact the Mughal Empire showed us what mutual tolerance and respect can achieve during its 300 years of rise, expansion and decline. When emperors like Aurangzeb started persecuting Non-Muslims and abandoned the age old policy of tolerance pursued so keenly by his predecessors, the Mughal Empire started falling on the hands of his weak successors and the outraged Non-Muslim Community.

The menace of terrorism today grows on the same feeling of hatred and suspicion that perhaps all of us have felt sometime or the other. Whether it is your anger at your corrupt boss at office or the envy towards your more successful neighbor next door, it all adds up in small pieces to the frustration and tension that ultimately gives way to the various acts of malice that we see today. Sectarian violence and terrorism without a doubt should be condemned; but before that, I feel that we should correct the schools and the streets from where the so called ‘terrorists’ have emerged. As we have heard it so many times before, “Heroes are not born, they are made;” the same applies for the ‘villains’ of our society too.

The other value I suppose is less moralistic and perhaps more socialist. I believe economics can create better humans. Take for example when there are large economic insufficiencies in a society then the feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction and revolt automatically creeps in. Poverty is a crime that very few own up; while we are running after the Osamas of the world we have ignored the place where they find their victims. All of us are painfully aware that the most terrible acts of terrorism often affect the poor and economically vulnerable.

When there is equitable economic growth in a society, whether it is through capitalism or socialism, studies have shown that crimes such as theft, robbery, vandalism and corruption are less frequent. These things of course do not guarantee a peaceful society but if these bases are secured then we can perhaps say that we have at least made a beginning.

Social justice, on the other hand, is a lot harder to classify because each country and culture has its own ideas about justice, and one cannot really extrapolate what a world of social justice would be like. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Peace isn’t the absence of violence, it’s the presence of social justice.” Regardless of its definition, peace and social justice one may agree are two sides of the same coin.

The first answer to social justice may be the establishment of a strong judiciary. A good legislative or a judicial structure does not in any case guarantee social justice. Law books and court rooms certainly facilitate it but the main responsibility I feel again lies on each and every one of us. If we teach ourselves to respect all men irrespective of their color and the depth of their pocket, then we might just find ourselves living in a more humane society. Great strivers for social justice, like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., have always maintained that a society is dead where men are not treated as men.

I have wondered a few times during the course of this essay, is peace and social justice in a society really achievable? Or, are they like mirages haunting a traveler dying of thirst? There is a great irony when I open the news paper and see people dying of hunger in one page and the sumptuous wedding of Tom Cruise in another. Do these small acts of ‘concern’ have any effect at all, or are they just too small in practicality and fall flat on their faces when they are pitted in against the inherent greed driving us for ages. I take the example of my own country, Bhutan, I can not say Bhutan is the epitome of peace nor can I say that social justice here is upheld in its truest sense (and I doubt if ever there was one). I can not judge a nation, I can not judge the people of a nation, but I can judge myself and what I have done to make my home, my school and my street a better place to live in.

Essay Home http://pvshawaii.squarespace.com/essay-bhutan/

scrabble playing is the game building up the vocabulary bank

Importance of English(feeling of a japanese)

Why Do We Teach English?
Kenji KitaoDoshisha University (Kyoto, Japan)

IntroductionWe are teaching English or studying the teaching of English, but why do we want to teach English, as opposed to other foreign languages? It is useful for us to consider this basic question occasionally. The Importance of EnglishEnglish is not the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of the number of native speakers--there are many more Chinese speakers than native English speakers--but Chinese is spoken little outside of Chinese communities, so English is the most widespread language in the world. It is difficult to estimate exactly how many English speakers there are, but according to one estimate there are more than 350,000,000 native English speakers and more than 400,000,000 speakers of English as a second language (a language used in everyday life, even though it is not the native language) or foreign language (a language studied but not used much in everyday life). However, even these numbers do not really indicate how important English is as a world language, because less than fifteen percent of the world population uses English. The importance of English is not just in how many people speak it but in what it is used for. English is the major language of news and information in the world. It is the language of business and government even in some countries where it is a minority language. It is the language of maritime communication and international air traffic control, and it is used even for internal air traffic control in countries where it is not a native language. American popular culture--primarily movies and music--carries the English language throughout the world.
English as a First or Second LanguageIn some countries, English is the sole or dominant language. It has that role in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. All of these countries are former British colonies. In other countries, English is widely used, particularly among people who have no other language in common, even though it is not the dominant language of the country. For example, English is widely used in Hong Kong, Singapore, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In such countries, it is often used as a means of communication between people who have different native languages. Uses of EnglishEnglish for News and InformationEnglish is commonly used as a medium for the communication of information and news. Three quarters of all telex messages and telegrams are sent in English. Eighty percent of computer data are processed and stored in English. Much satellite communication is carried in English. Five thousand newspapers, more than half of the newspapers published in the world, are published in English. Even in many countries where English is a minority language, there is at least one newspaper in English. In India alone, there are three thousand magazines published in English. In many countries, television news is broadcast in English. Because of the power of television, demonstrators in every country use signs printed in English for the benefit of the international press. English for Business, Diplomacy, and the ProfessionsEnglish is a major language of international business, diplomacy, and science and the professions. It is the language that an Iranian businessman and a Japanese businessman are likely to use to communicate. Important commodities such as silver, tin, and hard currency are traded in English. English is also an official language, or the official language, of many international organizations, including the United Nations and many professional organizations. It is frequently the language of international conferences, and it is the language of international athletics. Throughout the world, many professional papers are published in English. Even papers that are published in other languages often have abstracts in English. English for EntertainmentPopular culture.Popular culture has also played an important part in spreading English. American and British popular music are heard all over the world. American movies are seen in almost every country. Books in English are available even in countries where few people actually use English. One reason that students give for learning English is to understand these songs, movies and books.
Travel.English is also very important for international travel. Much of the information countries disseminate about themselves outside of their borders is in English. English is spoken in large hotels and tourist attractions, at airports, and in shops that tourists frequent. There are newspapers printed in English, and TV news is available in English. Tours are almost always available in English. Even in countries where few people speak English on the street, people who work with tourists generally speak English. In some countries even drivers of buses or streetcars and sellers at newsstands speak English well. Other Uses of EnglishIn many former British colonies, English is still used in government and as a medium of communication among people who do not have another language in common. In some cases, it is a neutral language that is used to avoid giving any one indigenous language too much prestige. English is often used in India, because it is neutral. It is the language of government. People who speak English have a certain status in society. It is used for books, music and dance. In Singapore, English is a second language, but it is necessary for daily life. Many companies there use English. In addition, sixteen countries in Africa have retained English as the language of government. Now standard English is taught in schools in those countries, because it is necessary for careers. English is also studied as a foreign language in countries where it is not generally used as a medium of communication. In China, English language lessons are popular TV programs. Two hundred fifty million Chinese--more than the population of the US--are learning English on TV. English is usually the first or most commonly taught foreign language in many countries, and people understand it a little at least.
The Situation in JapanMore than ten million Japanese visit foreign countries each year, and more than one third visit English-speaking countries. Probably more than half of these people go abroad as part of a tour, and they do not speak English during the visit. They just see scenery, buildings, gardens, etc., eat in restaurants and stay at hotels. There is no contact with the people of the country. If they could speak English, at least they could talk with people in the countries where they visit. They could visit places on their own or take local tours. They can choose restaurants where they wanted to eat and shops where they wanted to buy things. They could get information though tourist information literature, newspapers, magazines, and TV programs. Whenever we meet English-speaking people from various countries when we travel, they tell us that there are many Japanese tourists in their cities or countries, but that the Japanese tourists have difficulties speaking English.
Nowadays many college graduates who work for large corporations will have opportunities to visit foreign countries on business or work in foreign countries. English is likely to be essential wherever they go, even if they are working in countries where English is not the dominant language. Local workers with whom they work may speak English but not Japanese.
Japan has achieved economic power and reputation for producing high quality manufactured goods. Many people throughout the world are interested in Japanese business, technology, and culture. However, there are not many people who understand Japanese. There are not many books, magazines, or computer sources to convey information on Japan. More and more information needs to be transmitted in English, so that many people in the world will know what is going on in Japan and can learn about Japanese culture. We need more people who could convey information about Japan to the outside world.
More Japanese attend international conferences and need to present papers and participate in discussions. Most international conferences are held in English. Many researchers in universities and companies attend international conferences to present the results of their research. Most presentations are in English. Their papers are also published in international journals, which are also in English.
A great deal of information is available on the Internet. Most information on the Internet is in English, so if Japanese people want to take advantage of the many resources on the Internet, they need to be able to read English.
Conclusion

As we have seen, English is a widespread and important language in the world today. It is used for everything from international academic conferences to news reports to popular music lyrics. It is used not only for communication between native speakers and nonnative speakers of English but between nonnative speakers. Even though it does not have the greatest number of speakers in the world, it is the most widely used language in the world, and it will be used by more people in the future.

Importance of English(feeling of a japanese)

"Why Do We Teach English?"
Kenji KitaoDoshisha University (Kyoto, Japan)



Introduction


We are teaching English or studying the teaching of English, but why do we want to teach English, as opposed to other foreign languages? It is useful for us to consider this basic question occasionally.
The Importance of EnglishEnglish is not the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of the number of native speakers--there are many more Chinese speakers than native English speakers--but Chinese is spoken little outside of Chinese communities, so English is the most widespread language in the world. It is difficult to estimate exactly how many English speakers there are, but according to one estimate there are more than 350,000,000 native English speakers and more than 400,000,000 speakers of English as a second language (a language used in everyday life, even though it is not the native language) or foreign language (a language studied but not used much in everyday life). However, even these numbers do not really indicate how important English is as a world language, because less than fifteen percent of the world population uses English. The importance of English is not just in how many people speak it but in what it is used for. English is the major language of news and information in the world. It is the language of business and government even in some countries where it is a minority language. It is the language of maritime communication and international air traffic control, and it is used even for internal air traffic control in countries where it is not a native language. American popular culture--primarily movies and music--carries the English language throughout the world.

English as a First or Second Language

In some countries, English is the sole or dominant language. It has that role in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. All of these countries are former British colonies. In other countries, English is widely used, particularly among people who have no other language in common, even though it is not the dominant language of the country. For example, English is widely used in Hong Kong, Singapore, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In such countries, it is often used as a means of communication between people who have different native languages.

Uses of EnglishEnglish for News and InformationEnglish is commonly used as a medium for the communication of information and news. Three quarters of all telex messages and telegrams are sent in English. Eighty percent of computer data are processed and stored in English. Much satellite communication is carried in English. Five thousand newspapers, more than half of the newspapers published in the world, are published in English. Even in many countries where English is a minority language, there is at least one newspaper in English. In India alone, there are three thousand magazines published in English. In many countries, television news is broadcast in English. Because of the power of television, demonstrators in every country use signs printed in English for the benefit of the international press.

English for Business, Diplomacy, and the ProfessionsEnglish is a major language of international business, diplomacy, and science and the professions. It is the language that an Iranian businessman and a Japanese businessman are likely to use to communicate. Important commodities such as silver, tin, and hard currency are traded in English. English is also an official language, or the official language, of many international organizations, including the United Nations and many professional organizations. It is frequently the language of international conferences, and it is the language of international athletics. Throughout the world, many professional papers are published in English. Even papers that are published in other languages often have abstracts in English.

English for EntertainmentPopular culture.

Popular culture has also played an important part in spreading English. American and British popular music are heard all over the world. American movies are seen in almost every country. Books in English are available even in countries where few people actually use English. One reason that students give for learning English is to understand these songs, movies and books.

Travel.

English is also very important for international travel. Much of the information countries disseminate about themselves outside of their borders is in English. English is spoken in large hotels and tourist attractions, at airports, and in shops that tourists frequent. There are newspapers printed in English, and TV news is available in English. Tours are almost always available in English. Even in countries where few people speak English on the street, people who work with tourists generally speak English. In some countries even drivers of buses or streetcars and sellers at newsstands speak English well.

Other Uses of English

In many former British colonies, English is still used in government and as a medium of communication among people who do not have another language in common. In some cases, it is a neutral language that is used to avoid giving any one indigenous language too much prestige. English is often used in India, because it is neutral. It is the language of government. People who speak English have a certain status in society. It is used for books, music and dance. In Singapore, English is a second language, but it is necessary for daily life. Many companies there use English. In addition, sixteen countries in Africa have retained English as the language of government. Now standard English is taught in schools in those countries, because it is necessary for careers. English is also studied as a foreign language in countries where it is not generally used as a medium of communication. In China, English language lessons are popular TV programs. Two hundred fifty million Chinese--more than the population of the US--are learning English on TV. English is usually the first or most commonly taught foreign language in many countries, and people understand it a little at least.


The Situation in Japan

More than ten million Japanese visit foreign countries each year, and more than one third visit English-speaking countries. Probably more than half of these people go abroad as part of a tour, and they do not speak English during the visit. They just see scenery, buildings, gardens, etc., eat in restaurants and stay at hotels. There is no contact with the people of the country. If they could speak English, at least they could talk with people in the countries where they visit. They could visit places on their own or take local tours. They can choose restaurants where they wanted to eat and shops where they wanted to buy things. They could get information though tourist information literature, newspapers, magazines, and TV programs. Whenever we meet English-speaking people from various countries when we travel, they tell us that there are many Japanese tourists in their cities or countries, but that the Japanese tourists have difficulties speaking English.
Nowadays many college graduates who work for large corporations will have opportunities to visit foreign countries on business or work in foreign countries. English is likely to be essential wherever they go, even if they are working in countries where English is not the dominant language. Local workers with whom they work may speak English but not Japanese.
Japan has achieved economic power and reputation for producing high quality manufactured goods. Many people throughout the world are interested in Japanese business, technology, and culture. However, there are not many people who understand Japanese. There are not many books, magazines, or computer sources to convey information on Japan. More and more information needs to be transmitted in English, so that many people in the world will know what is going on in Japan and can learn about Japanese culture. We need more people who could convey information about Japan to the outside world.
More Japanese attend international conferences and need to present papers and participate in discussions. Most international conferences are held in English. Many researchers in universities and companies attend international conferences to present the results of their research. Most presentations are in English. Their papers are also published in international journals, which are also in English.
A great deal of information is available on the Internet. Most information on the Internet is in English, so if Japanese people want to take advantage of the many resources on the Internet, they need to be able to read English.


Conclusion

As we have seen, English is a widespread and important language in the world today. It is used for everything from international academic conferences to news reports to popular music lyrics. It is used not only for communication between native speakers and nonnative speakers of English but between nonnative speakers. Even though it does not have the greatest number of speakers in the world, it is the most widely used language in the world, and it will be used by more people in the future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. II, No. 4, April 1996 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Last modified: February 22, 2000 Send e-mail and suggestions to English First, 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 109, Springfield, VA 22151 tel: (703) 321-8818 fax: (703) 321-7636 Internet:
Home

Importance of English(feeling of a japanese)

Why Do We Teach English?Kenji KitaoDoshisha University (Kyoto, Japan)

k.kitao@lancaster.ac.uk


Introduction


We are teaching English or studying the teaching of English, but why do we want to teach English, as opposed to other foreign languages? It is useful for us to consider this basic question occasionally. The Importance of EnglishEnglish is not the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of the number of native speakers--there are many more Chinese speakers than native English speakers--but Chinese is spoken little outside of Chinese communities, so English is the most widespread language in the world. It is difficult to estimate exactly how many English speakers there are, but according to one estimate there are more than 350,000,000 native English speakers and more than 400,000,000 speakers of English as a second language (a language used in everyday life, even though it is not the native language) or foreign language (a language studied but not used much in everyday life). However, even these numbers do not really indicate how important English is as a world language, because less than fifteen percent of the world population uses English. The importance of English is not just in how many people speak it but in what it is used for. English is the major language of news and information in the world. It is the language of business and government even in some countries where it is a minority language. It is the language of maritime communication and international air traffic control, and it is used even for internal air traffic control in countries where it is not a native language. American popular culture--primarily movies and music--carries the English language throughout the world.
English as a First or Second LanguageIn some countries, English is the sole or dominant language. It has that role in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. All of these countries are former British colonies. In other countries, English is widely used, particularly among people who have no other language in common, even though it is not the dominant language of the country. For example, English is widely used in Hong Kong, Singapore, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In such countries, it is often used as a means of communication between people who have different native languages. Uses of EnglishEnglish for News and InformationEnglish is commonly used as a medium for the communication of information and news. Three quarters of all telex messages and telegrams are sent in English. Eighty percent of computer data are processed and stored in English. Much satellite communication is carried in English. Five thousand newspapers, more than half of the newspapers published in the world, are published in English. Even in many countries where English is a minority language, there is at least one newspaper in English. In India alone, there are three thousand magazines published in English. In many countries, television news is broadcast in English. Because of the power of television, demonstrators in every country use signs printed in English for the benefit of the international press. English for Business, Diplomacy, and the ProfessionsEnglish is a major language of international business, diplomacy, and science and the professions. It is the language that an Iranian businessman and a Japanese businessman are likely to use to communicate. Important commodities such as silver, tin, and hard currency are traded in English. English is also an official language, or the official language, of many international organizations, including the United Nations and many professional organizations. It is frequently the language of international conferences, and it is the language of international athletics. Throughout the world, many professional papers are published in English. Even papers that are published in other languages often have abstracts in English. English for EntertainmentPopular culture.Popular culture has also played an important part in spreading English. American and British popular music are heard all over the world. American movies are seen in almost every country. Books in English are available even in countries where few people actually use English. One reason that students give for learning English is to understand these songs, movies and books.

Travel.

English is also very important for international travel. Much of the information countries disseminate about themselves outside of their borders is in English. English is spoken in large hotels and tourist attractions, at airports, and in shops that tourists frequent. There are newspapers printed in English, and TV news is available in English. Tours are almost always available in English. Even in countries where few people speak English on the street, people who work with tourists generally speak English. In some countries even drivers of buses or streetcars and sellers at newsstands speak English well. Other Uses of EnglishIn many former British colonies, English is still used in government and as a medium of communication among people who do not have another language in common. In some cases, it is a neutral language that is used to avoid giving any one indigenous language too much prestige. English is often used in India, because it is neutral. It is the language of government. People who speak English have a certain status in society. It is used for books, music and dance. In Singapore, English is a second language, but it is necessary for daily life. Many companies there use English. In addition, sixteen countries in Africa have retained English as the language of government. Now standard English is taught in schools in those countries, because it is necessary for careers. English is also studied as a foreign language in countries where it is not generally used as a medium of communication. In China, English language lessons are popular TV programs. Two hundred fifty million Chinese--more than the population of the US--are learning English on TV. English is usually the first or most commonly taught foreign language in many countries, and people understand it a little at least.
The Situation in JapanMore than ten million Japanese visit foreign countries each year, and more than one third visit English-speaking countries. Probably more than half of these people go abroad as part of a tour, and they do not speak English during the visit. They just see scenery, buildings, gardens, etc., eat in restaurants and stay at hotels. There is no contact with the people of the country. If they could speak English, at least they could talk with people in the countries where they visit. They could visit places on their own or take local tours. They can choose restaurants where they wanted to eat and shops where they wanted to buy things. They could get information though tourist information literature, newspapers, magazines, and TV programs. Whenever we meet English-speaking people from various countries when we travel, they tell us that there are many Japanese tourists in their cities or countries, but that the Japanese tourists have difficulties speaking English.
Nowadays many college graduates who work for large corporations will have opportunities to visit foreign countries on business or work in foreign countries. English is likely to be essential wherever they go, even if they are working in countries where English is not the dominant language. Local workers with whom they work may speak English but not Japanese.
Japan has achieved economic power and reputation for producing high quality manufactured goods. Many people throughout the world are interested in Japanese business, technology, and culture. However, there are not many people who understand Japanese. There are not many books, magazines, or computer sources to convey information on Japan. More and more information needs to be transmitted in English, so that many people in the world will know what is going on in Japan and can learn about Japanese culture. We need more people who could convey information about Japan to the outside world.
More Japanese attend international conferences and need to present papers and participate in discussions. Most international conferences are held in English. Many researchers in universities and companies attend international conferences to present the results of their research. Most presentations are in English. Their papers are also published in international journals, which are also in English.
A great deal of information is available on the Internet. Most information on the Internet is in English, so if Japanese people want to take advantage of the many resources on the Internet, they need to be able to read English.


Conclusion

As we have seen, English is a widespread and important language in the world today. It is used for everything from international academic conferences to news reports to popular music lyrics. It is used not only for communication between native speakers and nonnative speakers of English but between nonnative speakers. Even though it does not have the greatest number of speakers in the world, it is the most widely used language in the world, and it will be used by more people in the future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. II, No. 4, April 1996 http://aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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