Is English a force for good? What have been the ramifications of this language’s dominance in ex colonies and also throughout the world?We debate how local languages have suffered as a result of the spread of English and investigate the consequences of its influence on indigenous communities. Language campaigner Neville Alexander provides a South African perspective on the negative aspects of a language when it begins to represent economic and political power and a panel of linguists debate some of the controversies caused by English and whether they believe it still has a future.

This material forms part of The Open University course U214 Worlds of English.