Essay On Codification Of English

The Codification of English as a standard Language

Introduction

When discussing the codification of English, it is important to include the history of the English as a standard language and how it became the first global language at the present time. Moreover, we should put in consideration how the English language came into existence, reasons for being the first global language, English in the past and modern times and the cultural heritage of English language.

How English turned to be the first global language:

Before talking about how English became the first global language, it is a must to define the global language, which is the “language that achieves a genuinely global status when it develops a special role that is recognized in

The other factor is the emergence of the United States of America as the leading economic power in the 20th century. This latter factor clarifies the position of the English globally today. The United States of America has nearly about 70 per cent of all English mother tongue speakers in the world.

Codification of English in the process of standardization:

Codification of English is the process of standardization that develops norms and rules for the language. These norms and rules have to be formulated and set down definitively in grammars, dictionaries, spellers, manuals of styles, texts and so.(3)

There is an important document of codification which is the dictionary of Dr Johnson 1755. Before Dr Johnson’s dictionary, dictionaries contained hard word explanations, also the bilingual dictionaries were to hard to be understood and did not record the ordinary English words.

Writing systems and alphabets in England

In the past, English alphabetic writing system was based originally on the Roman alphabet. The Roman alphabet was brought to England by Christian missionaries and church in the 6th