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Globalization and the role of English in the countries of South Asia and the Middle East (the case of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan)
 
PIIS086919080023323-2-1
DOI10.31857/S086919080023323-2
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Marina S. Kameneva 
Occupation: Senior Research Fellow; Associate Professor
Affiliation:
Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Address: Moscow, Russian Federation
Elena Paymakova
Occupation: Associate Professor
Affiliation: Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
Address: Russian Federation
Journal nameVostok. Afro-Aziatskie obshchestva: istoriia i sovremennost
EditionIssue 6
Pages182-190
Abstract

The article analyzes the role of English in the language policy of the Asian continent countries in the system of world globalization processes from the viewpoint accepted in modern sociolinguistic literature on the connection between the language aspect of globalization and the spread of English as the global language, the universal second language. The authors note the historical component of the popularity of English in the modern world in general and in the countries under consideration in particular. It includes the influence of the British Empire and the strengthening of the US position in the international arena. There are also provided estimates of the number of people speaking English both as the first and the second language in everyday life. The authors analyze large multinational states of South Asia and the Middle East such as Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. The situation with the English language is presented in these countries against the background of the state and national languages functioning. The authors made an attempt to show both the general aspects of the use of English, including through the prism of the legislative acts that are in force there, above all the constitutions, and the peculiarities of its functioning in each of these countries, including under the influence of the language policy pursued by their leadership. There is also noted the growing interest of the authorities in Russian in Iran and Chinese in Pakistan as the languages that may seriously compete with English in the future and break its monopoly.

Keywords globalization, the English language, national languages, language policy, Middle East, South Asia
Received26.11.2022
Publication date31.12.2022
Number of characters30150
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1 The issues related to world globalization processes and their reflection at the level of individual countries have been the subject of discussion by the world community since the beginning of the XX century. Thus, the definition of globalization as global integration in the spheres of economy, politics, culture and religion testifies to the unification of intrastate systems and their functioning as an entity. The aspect of globalization in modern sociolinguistic scientific literature is associated with the spread of English as a world language, as a universal second language [Alpatov, 2004, p. 23 – 27]. The English language in the diversity of its variants and dialects plays an enormous role in the contemporary world. It is the official language of international organizations, above all the UN; it largely covers such areas as business, science, world media, cinema, television, tourism, information technology.
2 English is ranked either second or third after Chinese and Spanish in terms of the number of people that consider it as their native language. They constitute 400 – 500 million people. At the same time, this figure increases significantly – up to 1.3 – 1.4 billion people when considering those for whom English is the second language actively used in everyday life. The wide spread of the English language was facilitated in the past by such circumstances as the expansion of the British Empire’s influence, and in the XX century - strengthening of the US position in the international arena.
3 The purpose of the article is to present the situation with the English language against the background of the functioning of state and national languages in a number of countries of South Asia and the Middle East and to show the peculiarities of its functioning in these countries, including under the influence of the language policy pursued by their leadership, one of the priority areas of which there should be scientific analysis and practical settlement of complicated national-linguistic relationship. The objects of the research are Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
4 Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan are among the large multinational states of the Asian continent, with the population of about 40 mln, 85 mln and 208 mln people, respectively. In addition to the religious commonality (these countries are Islamic republics); they are united by the common historical development and cultural traditions. At the same time, there are a number of political, historical, geographical, ethnic and other factors that determine the specifics of their development paths. These features are also manifested in the language field - in the existing language situations and the language policy pursued.
5 It is known that at least 24 languages ​​are the means of communication for the population of Pakistan. At the same time, it is believed that four peoples - Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns and Baluchis belonging to two language groups of the Indo-European family of languages ​​- Indo-Aryan and Iranian make up the absolute majority of the population of Pakistan - about 97%. A considerable part of Pakistanis know not only their native languages; many of them also speak both English and Urdu (mostly, literate urban population), and in this regard, they are both bilingual and multilingual. At the same time, according to the constitution, it is Urdu that is the state language of Pakistan [Foreign Orient, 1986, p. 312].
6 Since the establishment of the state of Pakistan in 1947 and up to the present, the country has adopted three constitutions - in 1956, 1962 and 1973. Each of them contained an article on language, above all, on state language. It is Urdu that the ruling circles tried to make the state language already during the preparation and adoption of the first constitution. It should be noted that, despite the relatively small number of the speakers of Urdu - no more than 8% of the country's population, there were no violent protests from the foreign-speaking population of the country against the issue of granting it the status of the state language. This can be explained by several reasons. Firstly, it is to a great extent socially and ethnically neutral for the majority of Pakistan's population in comparison with the languages ​​of other ethnic groups living in the country. Secondly, Urdu has fairly high prestige in the country, since it is believed to embody Muslim culture, to be close to the languages ​​of other Muslim countries, above all Arabic and Persian, as evidenced by a great number of Arabic and Persian words in Urdu. Moreover, the country's leadership and its religious leaders, guided by the two above-mentioned factors, when choosing a language for the role of the state one, proceeded from the fact that the internal state unity should be based on a common single language for the whole of Pakistan, and they carried on appropriate propaganda among its population [Nikolsky, 1986, p. 124,127]. It should be noted that back in 1948, the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, addressing the students of the University of Dhaka, emphasized that the Urdu language is the bearer of Muslim culture, an important cementing link of the new state, and therefore, in his opinion, it is this language that should become the state language of Pakistan, and anyone who tries to mislead the people on this issue can be considered an enemy of the country [Quaid-i-Azam, 1962, p. 36].

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