A Study On Current UK Policy Of Spreading English Overseas

A language is a carrier of a culture, and every language is the crystallization of a culture. In an era when international attention is focused on such "soft power" as cultural influence, the spreading of a language is becoming an effective tool in international political, economic and cultural struggles and an important means for obtaining national interest.In order to safeguard and maximize the national interest of the United Kingdom and to enhance understanding of the UK by other countries and to improve UK's international image, in the 1930s the British government established the British Council, a semi-official institution for spreading English overseas, for coordinating and making overall arrangement of work in this field. Since then, the British government has been trying to perfect its policy system for spreading English overseas and has obviously accumulated rich experience in its guidelines, organizational construction, supply of funds, ways of implementation, and technological updating. Today, spreading English overseas has become the core of national cultural diplomacy of the United Kingdom, and the success in spreading the English language has been acknowledge by other countries, and the British experience has been made model for other countries in making policies for spreading their languages overseas.This thesis is aimed at making an analysis of historical development and current status of the current British policy for spreading the English language, and through the analysis of the policy basis and its implementation, while taking into consideration of the achievements of the British policy and reforms made in it in light of the new situation, the author of this thesis tries to make a comprehensive summary of typical British experience in spreading the English language overseas. For this purpose, starting from the framework of analysis of language policies developed by Duff Cooper, the dissertation tries to supply answers to the following key questions: what is the background against which the British policy for spreading English overseas was made? What institutions or individuals are carrying out this policy? What are the main purposes of this policy and approaches to its implementation? What are the results this policy has brought about? And what conclusion can be drawn from the success of this British policy?The present thesis starts with an introduction, which discusses the importance and necessity of this research. Based on an analysis of studies made by Chinese and foreign researchers, the Introduction establishes the line of thought and framework for this thesis, and makes an introduction to the theoretical basis for this research paper.The current dissertation consists of five chapters. Chapter One offers a general description of the historical development and present status of implementation of the British policy for spreading the English language overseas, trying to take the past and present British English as a whole, analyzing the inlaid factor behind the spreading of English overseas, and, by presenting a picture in a retroactive manner of the present situation and influence of the English language in the world, Chapter One places a macro-background against which stand latter parts of this dissertation. The present thesis believes that the spreading of English overseas originates and stems from the establishment of the dominating position of the English language on the British isles; the rise of English-speaking countries, including Great Britain, has encouraged the global expansion of the English language; and the establishment of English as a world language, while making it convenient for international communication, poses a certain challenge to the ecosystem of languages in the world.Chapter Two makes a study of the executive subject for carrying out the British policy for spreading English to other parts of the world. Using the analytical framework of histology, the present thesis makes an analytical study of the organizational origin, development, missions, characteristics, and functioning of the world-famous British Council, a semi-official institution for spreading English overseas. This thesis believes that, the establishment of the British Council, on the one hand, was a copy of successful examples of setting up cultural diplomatic institutions for cultural diplomacy by some European powers, but on the other hand, was a passive measure the British government was forced to take to cope with circumstances brought about by development of domestic and international situation, and was a natural continuation of its long-standing language policy. As a semi-official institution for spreading the English language, the British Council takes serving its national interest as its dominant value orientation, and has established a complete set of organizational system and framework in its long process of development.Chapter Three offers a textual analysis of the current British policy of spreading the English language overseas. Following the course of historical development of the British language policy, the paper makes an analysis of the texts of a number of important policies, such as the Drogheda Report, Report of the Official Committee on the Teaching of English Overseas, "Conference on Planning of Teaching English as a Foreign Language", the Hill Report, the Duncan Report, the Berrill Report, and the Seebohm Report, covering the process of their making, their proposed policies, and their historical influence on the spreading of English in the world.Chapter Four discusses current ways of implementation of the British policy of spreading English overseas, focusing on teaching English as a foreign language, standardized English tests, compiling of English textbooks and making them adopted in other countries, and policies concerning granting scholarships. The thesis believes that the UK has established a comprehensive system for spreading English overseas by English teaching service offered by English teaching centers across the world, by holding standardized international English proficiency tests and issuing certificates to successful candidates, by offering courses for training English teachers and sending English language experts to other parts of the world, by compiling and exporting English textbooks and supplying information concerning English publications to other countries, and by offering scholarship programs to attract students from other countries to study in the UK.Chapter Five starts by offering an analysis, from the perspective of the national interest of the UK, of the achievements of its policy to spread English overseas, laying emphasis on typical experiences obtained in the implementation of this policy and adjustments made in face of challenges. The paper expresses the view that outstanding accomplishment has been achieved in carrying out the language policy with the British Council playing a leading role, that successful experiences with British characteristics have been gained in the long-time implementation of this policy, and that the adjustments and shifts in its language policy under changing circumstances fully shows the active and flexible aspects of the UK in carrying out its policy to spread English overseas.The concluding part of the thesis returns to the framework of analysis of language policies developed by Duff Cooper, and supplies brief answers to questions posed in the earlier part of the thesis. In addition, the thesis makes a summary of the significance and insufficiency or limit of the studies made in this paper, while outlining moderate plans for further studies in this research.