Global culture needs a global language, and for a variety of reasons it appears that this language is English. If you’re in Britain and you’re going to communicate with someone in Benin or Beijing or Brazil, whether it’s for business or socializing, you’re probably going to do it in English. Automatic translators help, but having a common language makes communication faster and simpler. If you’re a native speaker of English, we encourage you to learn a second language because of the many advantages to being bilingual. Learning English as a second language provides the same benefits, along with the ability to work easily with people around the world. A video-based instruction program like the one provided by Learn English 232 is an excellent place to look for help in getting your English skills to native-speaker level.

Like any language, English is continuing to grow, and as more people use English there are more words added to the language. These new words often reflect the cultures and countries the speakers come from, or are a combination of English and other languages. When two languages meet and combine, they create a pidgin language, one that has elements of both languages. If that new language becomes a standard way of communication for later generations, it’s called a creole language. English is in a state of constant evolution as it absorbs words from other languages, and because of the speed of communication in the internet age, children are learning these new words as quickly as they evolve. In a sense, English is a “continual creole,” and more and more people are participating in its development.

New words are being added to the language from all areas. The word skinship is used by Japanese and Korean English speakers to describe nonsexual but affectionate physical contact. Indian children grow up speaking “Hinglish” in which words from Hindi and English are used in the same sentence, and words like prepone (“bring or do something ahead of schedule,” the opposite of postpone) appear in daily vocabulary. As the internet and easier global travel bring us closer together, this new and evolving English language will strengthen the ties that help us interact with other people – and when we can communicate clearly, we can change the world.

What new words in English are being used in your country?