English term papers

What is English?

English, which has its roots in an ancient West Germanic dialect, is considered the most widely spoken language in the world today.  English originated in England but due to migration and political influences, it is now the first language of many different nations in the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United States.  The language has undergone changes over the years and has been influenced by other languages due to its geographical spread. Today, there are over 250,000 distinct words in the English vocabulary, and this does not incorporate technical terms, slang, etc. Formal written English is the universally accepted form of communication in this language, while spoken English changes according to accent, dialect and other influences.

The Importance of Knowing English

English is considered the dominant language in many international areas where communication between countries is required, including aviation, science, IT, entertainment and business, and over a billion people around the globe have a basic working knowledge of the language.  In many countries around the world, a working knowledge of English is required in order to be even considered for a job. 

English Studies

The academic discipline which studies literature written in English, as well as English linguistics and English sociolinguistics is known as English Studies.  The discipline is a very broad one which incorporates multiple fields, including  but not limited to English law and composition studies, the philosophy of the English language, cultural studies, translation, communication, gender and ethnic studies, theater, film such as English movies,  the media, specific area studies, folklore and publishing.

Academic English Courses

An undergraduate university degree which focuses on the analysis and production of texts in English is known as an English Major in the United States and several other countries around the world. The course covers the analysis and interpretation of English film and literature and could be helpful in many career choices in the future.

The requirements to begin an English course naturally differ from school to school, although there are three prime skills which most institutions insist upon: The ability to analyze literature logically and reflectively, the ability to create good, creative writing and the ability to analyze and understand literature from different cultures and periods.  Courses cover multiple subjects, ranging from creative writing to literary theory.

Career Opportunities with an English Major

An English Major course can lead to many different careers, from the more obvious (editing, journalism, research),to those where the skills learned in the course- such as the analysis of large texts and the formulation of cohesive pieces - can be applied to other areas such as advertising, English translation, business and marketing.

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