Astilean Roxana

-한국어학습 연장 -

Learning the International Language

English is the “Universal Language” that is officially recognized by others. The problem is
that the concept of the Universal Language is unclear. A language known by people all
around the world? Not really. There are a lot of people who don't know it yet. A language that
one can (use to) communicate with people around the world if they learn a little harder?
Something like that.

There are still many people in this world that can't speak English. Nevertheless, I often talk to
strangers in English and if I can't answer the questions in English, I get embarrassed. In other
words, it is not an Universal Language because everyone knows it well, but it is a Universal
Language because of the stress of having to know it well. This is its power.

I don't have much knowledge of English, however I have no choice but to use it. If Koreans
who do not know English or Japanese and Japanese who do not know English or Korean meet
in foreign countries and say something, there is no choice but to speak in broken English.
Also, this is by no means a bad thing. Rather, it is the best way to solve the problem.

The Worldwide Language inevitably becomes an affected language. As fifty thousand people
pick it up in their own way, the language inevitably divides by a lot. That is the karma and the
price that it has to pay to become the worldwide language. So you don't have to be too
apologetic for getting it wrong while speaking it. It is its fate that people often get it wrong,
get confused or make mistakes.

The Universal Language is not based on any theoretical basis. It's just a social trend that it is
reflected in various international organizations and international events and the language of
use is chosen. Therefore, it is not a very wise attitude to bet everything on learning a single
global language. Rather, it is effective to learn by setting some limits of "English as a
Universal Language." Learning indefinitely now is no different from learning by paying high
costs.