LESSON 3: COMMUNICATION AND GLOBALIZATION

GLOBALIZATION has affected us in numerous ways. Airfare has become cheaper and one can travel internationally
more than one could in the past. Many Filipinos have decided to work or live abroad, with some of them migrating
to other countries. The free trade of goods and services all over the world has brought multinational companies
and foreign investors to our shores. Because of all of these factors it is imperative to be aware of the differences
between our culture and the rest of the world’s cultures.
Because of the advent of the internet, the word seems to be shrinking continually. One can communicate
internationally in a matter of seconds, whether one is sending an email, chatting in social media, or sending a text
message. One can read about different cultures, and have access to films, academic papers and the like from
countries around the world and vice versa. Given this increasingly shrinking world, one should know the difference
between the kind of English that we write and speak and the kind of Englishes that exist outside of the Philippines

World Englishes
David Crystal ( 2003 ) begins the first chapter of the book English as a Global Language with the assertion
that English is, in fact the Global Language. After giving various examples to support this statement, he questions
the assertions by asking “ What does it mean to say that a language is global? (Crystal, 2003 ). In asking this, he
considers the implications of English having this status, especially for its many users who speak different mother
tongues.
The two most well-known varieties of English are those of the colonial superpowers. British English and
American English. But there are many multilingual countries around the world in which varieties of English have
developed. This may be because English was initially “transported” to the country by English Speaking settlers—as
in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It could also be that English may have been brought to
that country as a language of conquest by English Speaking Colonizers—as in South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia,
Singapore, and the Philippines. In the latter countries, English has a particular role as official language, medium of
instruction, or even language of law and government. English is also studied as a foreign language in some non-
English Speaking countries, such as Holland, Yugoslavia, Korea and Japan. In these countries, there is less exposure
to English, and it is often learned for career progression because it is the language of international business.
All of these World Englishes are equal in functionality, but not all are equal in prestige. The idea, however,
in writing is to adhere to the standard English of one’s country because each variety, including those of United
States and United Kingdom, has its own peculiar or individual features. These features include differences in
spelling, punctuation, favoured words and expression, and sometimes, grammatical construction. The table that
follows gives an example of some of these differences for American English and British English.

ASPECT AMERICAN ENGLISH (US) BRITISH ENGLISH (UK)

Punctuation She said, “I’ll be at work by 8 a.m.” She said, “I’ll be at work by 8 a.m.”
Date March 2, 2017 2 March 2017
Spelling Center, color, organize, program Centre, colour, organize, programme
Words Elevator, pants, diaper Lift, trousers, nappy
Expression/Local Idiom Ruffled feathers (agitated) Knickers in a twist ( Agitated )
Grammar Do you have that book? Have you got the book?
Pronunciation Vase /vᾶs/ -- sounds like VEYS Vase / va:z/ -- sounds like VAHZ

Philippine English as well, has its unique and idiosyncratic usages. For example, “comfort room” is a Philippine
term for “washroom”, “toilet”, or “lavatory”. When Filipino say, “There’s traffic” they mean there’s heavy traffic.”
Moreover, the word “salvage” in the Philippine context can mean either “to save” or “to brutally murder, usually
for political reasons. “ Matthew Sutherland, who writes about Philippine English from an Englishman’s perspective
talks about the expression “for a while” which he says baffles foreigners because the expression does not exist
outside of the Philippines. The UK’s equivalent, he says, is “just a second” or “just a moment” (quoted in Aguilar
2004). Similarly, Sutherland notes that “for a while” is frequently used in the Philippines on the telephone, whereas
in UK, the more typical expression would be “hold on” or “hang on” (Quoted in Aguilar, 2004). Importantly, he
mentions that these British equivalents would be just as baffling to those unfamiliar with these usages. Filipinos
might, in response to being told to “hang on.” may very well ask. “Hang on to what?”
Sutherland also notes that “Every English-Speaking Nation has its own sets of English phrases and idioms;
English is equally idiosyncratic in, say, India, Jamaica, Zimbabwe or Singapore. In other words there is no wrong way of
speaking English as long as those who speak it understand each other. In fact Sutherland says, “The many versions of
English Spoken around the globe merely serve to make English an even richer tongue.” However, The fact that all
varieties of English have individual or peculiar usages is why it is important—in the context of individual and
professional writing—to follow a standard. This standard advocates the use of a consistent spelling and punctuation
system. It also avoids colloquial and informal usages, eschewing this in favor of more widely understood uses or
explaining such usages for the reader if it becomes necessary to use them in writing.

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 The label for this variety is Standard English or—depending on the region—Standard American English,
Standard British English, or Standard Philippine English, This is define as consisting of “the conventional vocabulary and
usage of educated speakers and writers of English” (Roberts & Turgeon, 1998). To use this kind of English means to
follow a spelling or punctuation system that is consistent with the prescribed standard. For example, Standard
Philippine English follows Standard American usages for spelling, punctuation and the formatting of dates. In terms of
grammar and diction, Standard English “ does not include slang, vulgarism, regionalisms and other constrictions that
are considered unorthodox by those seeking a language acceptable to a general audience” (Roberts & Turgeon, 1998).
In general, then, writers should avoid local idioms, expressions, and constructions like those examples mentioned, and
essentially, to use words that will be clearly understood by English Speakers from any regions of the world.
In summary, in everyday speech and informal context, one is free to use his or her own variety of English.
However, in more formal writing contexts, one should be able to identify which features of this variety may not be
understood by other speakers of English and to use alternatives that will be understood by a wider audience.

Culturally Sensitive and Bias-Free Language

Just as important as awareness of the existence of World Englishes is that of practices cultural sensitivity. To
write in a culturally sensitive way means to be aware that cultural differences and similarities between people exist
and that these should not be assigned to a positive or negative value via words and descriptions selected in writing.
Academic and professional writings are characterized by bias-free language. Students, scholars, professionals, and
anyone wishing to maintain harmonious communicative relations should be careful in using words and phrases that do
not discriminate against particular groups, whether in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, social class, age, and disability.
The essential point is to communicate in a way that is respectful of diversity.

Here are some general principles to follow when referring to different groups or categories.
1. Race and Ethnicity
Racism is a form of discrimination against a person or persons of a different race. In general, it is best to avoid
identifying people by race or ethnic group. Race is an emotionally charged topic, so it is best to tread carefully with
the language used and to refer to race, as Patricia Arinto (2009) asserts in English for the Professions, “Only if it is
relevant to what you have to say.” Words that reinforce stereotypes and that imply all people of a particular race
or ethnic group are the same should be avoided. For example, although the assessment is positive in the sentence
“Naturally, the Asian students won the math contest,” the word “naturally” reinforces the stereotype or
generalization that Asians have superior aptitude in math.
Next, one must be attuned to the current terminology by which racial and ethnic groups refer to themselves.
This may be done by reading national newspapers and watching television news, which typically are good
indicators of current and preferred usage. According to Kitty Locker and Donna Kienzler (2013), one should “refer
to a group by the term it prefers,” which means some research is required to find out about acceptable and
preferred terms. For example, for a long time, “Native American” has been considered the politically correct term
for the indigenous peoples of the Americas, over the label “Red Indian”. But today, most native American people
prefer to be referred to us by their specific nation or tribe. In the Philippine Context, there have been shifts in the
preferences for terms that Filipinos of Chinese ancestry use to describe their identity: From Tsino, Chinoy, to
Filipino Chinese.
It is also important to be sensitive to religion when referring to various ethnic groups. Assumptions should not
be made that stereotype a race, nationality, or ethnic group with a specific relation. For examples, not all Arabs
are Muslims, not all Indians are Buddhists, and not all Filipinos are Roman Catholics.

2. Gender and Sexual Orientation

Sexism refers to the prejudice and discrimination based on sex or gender. To be inclusive of all
people in general references, one should favour gender-neutral words and phrases over gender-biased
words. For example, rather than “man made,” one can say “manufactured,” “synthetic,” or “artificial.”
Instead of “layman’s terms,” one can use “ordinary terms.” Neutral words should also be chosen over
words with “man” and “woman” in job titles or descriptions. For example, it is more appropriate to use
“chairperson” in place of “chairman,” “flight attendant” in place of “stewardess,” and “labor” in place of
“manpower.” One should also avoid sexist terms like “woman lawyer” and “male nurse” and simply use
“lawyer” and “nurse.”
Pronouns may also be gender-biased, for example, when the masculine “he” pronoun is used as a
generic one for both genders.
Gender-biased pronouns can be avoided by (a) dropping pronouns and signify gender and
restating the sentence, (b) changing to plural construction, and (c) replacing masculine o feminine
pronouns with “one” or “you.” Examples of alternative gender-neutral constructions are provided here.

Gender-biased example: Each student should submit his term paper by Monday.
Restatement Each student should submit a term paper by Monday.

Plural Construction Students should submit their term papers by Monday.

Use of “you” You should hand in your term paper by Monday

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