English versus minor languages in the global era. The case of the Romanian language
English versus minor languages in the global era. The case of the Romanian language

Summary/Abstract: Under the influence of globalization which is prevalent and rather emblematic of the 21st century, all spheres of human life have undergone a tremendous change, language included. People have become aware of the fact that what happens abroad can affect them directly. The spread of technological innovations (mainly the Internet and the modern telephone networks) brought about improved means of communication and increased mobility, not only at economic level, but also in terms of information and cultural or linguistic products. Under such circumstances we witness the so-called “convergence of cultures and languages”, an obvious openness of nations towards each other and consequently, a constant inter-weaving, transformation and re-evaluation of values .That is due to the individuals’ natural desire of taking advantage of the general human progress, the well-known benefits of science and technology, and, ultimately, to their strong inner need of getting access to knowledge.That could be facilitated by means of English which has become the global language of today. Consequently, speaking English today seems to be the key to success in Romanian society-an essential condition for social advancement in a number of important positions, quick and easy access to the best paid jobs in private and state companies, in the media, the banking system, a.s.o. A radical change has occurred in the perception and attitude to English as a foreign language at political, educational and community level. The demand and motivation for the study of English increased even at an early age and it keeps being encouraged and supported both by families and educators. At school level there is a greater number of English classes, and a wider range of activities meant to stimulate and develop this interest for language learning in children have been performed. No wonder that under such circumstances the young generation was the first to get aware of the strong need for learning English steadily and seriously both at school and at home, conscious of the immediate benefits it brings nowadays. In our paper we try to demonstrate that the penetration of English in Romanian vocabulary is more and more obvious and the process cannot be controlled from the outside.We attempt to identify the areas of life most affected by this process and judge upon its effects in the short and long run on the Romanian language and society at large.

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