The use of American and British English on companies' websites mainly in countries where English is spoken as a second language or as a foreign language Lexis and spelling in the spotlight

Details

Supervisors

De Cock, Sylvie

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en communication multilingue

Abstract

English is an international language used as the world’s most widespread means of communication, on the one hand, because of its numerous native users and their geographical expansion, and on the other hand, also because many non-native speakers of English use it for their international contacts. The first chapter defines what an international language means, then describes the process by which a language goes through in order to be raised to such a status, and finally dwells on the reasons why an international language has become almost a necessity in the globalised world in which we live today. This predominance of English is the result of two periods of domination by English-speaking countries. It is due firstly to British imperialism during the 19th century, and secondly to the growing economic influence of the United States since the 20th century. Then, the combination of US political influence and technological superiority acquired over the years has given the English language a considerable advantage over other imperial languages such as French, Spanish or Portuguese. Nowadays, the English language remains extremely present in our daily lives: regarding international relations, in the media, involving international security or relating to education, English surrounds us. Indeed, the language was standardised in order to be understood by a majority of native and non-native speakers of English, without having to enter specific vocabulary that can sometimes vary from one variety to another. The purpose of this dissertation is to determine the variety of English used on the websites of four selected companies, three of which are based in countries where English is taught as a second or foreign language, the fourth being an American international company.