Page 22 - ELG2107 Jul Issue 476

INTERVIEW .

Vying for
V ying for

global
global

domination
domination

Jeffrey Gil, author of Soft Power and the

Worldwide Promotion of Chinese Language
Learning: The Confucius Institute Project,

offers his views on whether Chinese will
overtake English as the world’s language

It’s nearly 25 years since David Graddol, term future, considering the gap between to keep an eye on developments and trends
who used to be EL Gazette’s global the use and status of Chinese and English in these areas, which eventually led to
news editor, wrote the The Future of at present. my book.
English? He foresaw an oligarchy of
languages with English at the top. In How did you first get interested in You use the framework of
your new book, The Rise of Chinese Chinese and its changing role? comprehensive competitiveness. What
as a Global Language, you seem to be My PhD thesis was about the English do you mean by that, and what are
predicting a duopoly. Is that right and language and English language education some of the ways in which Chinese is
if so, why? in China. One part of my thesis looked at comprehensively competitive and in
David Graddol’s The Future of English? what ways is English?
was a big influence on my thinking about Languages become important in the
the future of languages globally. I focus on I found that world because they are associated with
Chinese, because it is widely considered to power. In other words, a language can
be the language with the most potential to Chinese was give people access to certain resources
take over from English as a global language. or benefits. Language comprehensive
However, I acknowledge that other present in many competitiveness is a framework which
languages are also increasing their use and sets out what these resources or benefits
status, and I would like to apply the same countries through are. The components of language
concepts and methods I used in my book comprehensive competitiveness are: policy
onto Hindi/Urdu, Arabic and Spanish in the Chinese competitiveness, cultural competitiveness,
future research. economic competitiveness, population
I propose three possible future scenarios diaspora competitiveness, script competitiveness,
for English and Chinese as global languages: scientific/technological competitiveness,
English could remain a global language, educational competitiveness and
co-exist with Chinese as a global language or whether English was a threat to Chinese geostrategic competitiveness.
be replaced by Chinese as a global language, language and culture, and as part of Policy competitiveness is about how
depending on the outcome of China’s rise. investigating that issue I looked at the use governments and international organisations
Continuation will result from either China’s and status of Chinese globally. I found that promote a language through their policies.
decline or China as a threat, co-existence Chinese was present in many countries Cultural competitiveness is about the
will result from China as a major power and through the Chinese diaspora and that there cultural products and practices which can be
replacement will result from either China as a was a growing interest in Chinese language accessed through a language, such as movies,
superpower or China as a threat. learning among people from non-Chinese TV programmes and internet content.
Continuation is most likely in the short- backgrounds. At that time, the Chinese Economic competitiveness is about the level
term future. However, there is already some government was just starting to promote of economic development and economic
evidence of co-existence and this is likely Chinese language learning around the world power of the country in which a language
to increase in the medium-term future. through Confucius Institutes and other is spoken. Population competitiveness is
Replacement is possible only in the long- means. I found this fascinating and decided about the number of speakers of a language
22 July 2021