Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-12-15
The English the Language Of the
Future.

"A writer in a recent number of the
atlantic WoasthIy predicts that by the
end OF the twentieth century the En-
glish language will be SPOKEN by
eight hundred million people, occu-
pying, besides England proper and
its contiguous dcpe ndencies, India,
South Africa, Australia, North Amer
lea, islands in every sea- and naval
stations on every cape. By that time
it is thought, SO large proportion of
the business of tue world will be done
by masters of the countries named
that, as mere matter of social and
commercial convenience, the whole
world will devote itself to learning
English. The languages spoken by
other civilized races, according to
this anticipation, will sink to the
character of local dialects, which will
gradually lose their distinctive differ
ences and finally disappear altogeth-
er. Many barbarous races also
would be drawn into the prevailing
current, so that--as is now the case
all over Europe-then all over the
globe the Englishman will be address
Ell In his own speech. Leaving out
of view the comparatively simple un-
infected character of English words
and the direct constructions of it's
syntax, which greatly facilitate the
acquisition Of the English language
BY foreigners, it is enough to show
what advantages tending to this end
English speaking people already pos
sess over others in having already
engrossed the most fertile unoccu-
pied or weak quarters OF the world,
and left to the French, Germans and
Others only those lands least desi:a-
BILE for colonization. To enumerate
Engl and's possessions would be a te-
dious undertaking, scattered as they
are at points of advantage throughout
the world. 1t is enough to say that
in Asia she controls ar area OF l.
100000 square miles, with a popu-
lation of about 23O, 900. 900 souls in
Africa 100000 square miles, popula
ton 100000; in America 3, 10000
square miles, population 5000 900
in Europe 12l, 900 square miles, pop
ulation $4,000, ,0O0-a total area o.
S,7I1 900 square miles, with popu
lation of about 28O,OOo,O 900. Englisl
commerce, ideas, books and tongu,
profit by this breadth of empire. Gu
appreciation of the future OF th
Anglo-Saxon race and English tongu
, is heightened. however, when we ad,
to the English-speaking area the 81
O24 ,494 square miles of the Unlte'
: States, with their population of so,
, 152, S66 souls. No doubt the periol
, is yet very remote, aand may neve
be reached, when English will becom
the universal language of. mankind
The probability is that many isolate
races will never be converted to it
use. But when an aggressive, ener
gedc, commercial people, possessin!
SO vast an area into which to develop
is at the same time the wealthlest O
the globe and the most enterprisin
and practical, it is difficult to set lin
its to future The Romans were aSl
to impress their laws and languag
upon the whole Of Europe, and til
, Anelo-Saxon is the Roman of til
| modern world. In competion wit
the races of the continent the Englis
5 and Americans possess the advantaa
3 of beginning with 1885 ,49t squal
+ miles Of the earth's surface and tt
: qualities which first gave them th
wide domain.