Common Business Language for International English as a Second Language Speakers

As far as international languages go for business communication, English reigns supreme and high above all others. No other language even comes close to being used in an international setting to close deals both large and small. Something most people don’t know is that a lot of the time deals are bought and sold not with native English speakers but rather with speakers who use English as a second language.

English is a way to advance in the business world and English as a second language speakers know this all too well. Learners must go through all the necessary steps from grammar to idioms to speaking, as every other expert English speaker must do before becoming proficient. But is all this highly structured learning necessary, the answer is both yes and no. Students should understand a term known as ‘linguistic imperialism’ which is defined by its creator Robert Phillipson as "the dominance asserted and retained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages". What this means to non native English speakers is that native English speakers may expect other people who do not speak English as a first language to understand their expectations and culture. By learning a specific type of English such as Canadian English or British English, you will be better able to interact with Canadian speakers than if you hadn’t bothered to learn British English to its fullest. However if you learn the English language at its basic levels without a cultural biased set of values as those expected if you learned Canadian English, American English or British English you will be able to better communicate with English speakers in those countries in which English isn’t a first language.

Everybody is expecting an increasing role in international communication in English, but it’s up to you how you decide to go about in your training. Talk with your teacher or instructor and let them know your expectations for using the English language. If you will be talking almost exclusively to other people who will be using English as a second language is it really necessary to learn a specific type of English be it Canadian, American or British. Highly skilled tutors can be found on the Internet that can work with you in a comfortable online live meeting environment and provide all the necessary skills you need to succeed without bogging you down in the unnecessary parts of the English language.