The recency of world English

According to David Crystal, there have been many predictions about the emergence of English as a global language during these last two centuries. However, the term “global English” is a very recent expression. For a language to be “global”, it has to achieve a truly global status; that is, it has to develop a especial role and this special role has to be recognized in every country.

English is the first language in what we know as the English language countries; that is, in Britain, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But English language is also present in countries which have been colonized by English people and now, they use English as co-official language. It happens in countries such as Zimbabwe, or India, or Singapore, where they use English as a primary medium of communication in such domains as government, the law courts, broadcasting, the press and the educational system. Then, in a different way, English achieve a special role when it is a priority in a country´s foreign-language teaching policy: it is not official but it is also essential. 

The term “global English” is a genuine application of the 21th century, and it could not have had such application a half-century before. For this term there was another expression: lingua franca, which probably is as old as language diversity itself. And the prospect that a lingua franca may be needed as a practical tool for the whole world is something which has emerged strongly only since 1950´s.

Lingua Franca: A language or mixture of languages used as a medium of communication by people whose native languages are different.( Reference )