English as a global language
语篇导读： 作为全世界使用范围最广的语言，英语在不同的国家和地区究竟有哪些异同呢？
Like American English, English in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa is different from British English. However, cultural and political ties have meant that until recently British English has acted as “standardized” English — spelling usually follows British English, for instance.
Elsewhere in Africa and on the Indian subcontinent (次大陆), English is still used as an official language in several countries, even though these countries are independent of British rule. However, English remains very much a second language for most people, used in administration (行政), education and government and as a means of communicating between speakers of different languages. As with most of the Commonwealth (英联邦), British English is the model on which, for instance, Indian English or Nigerian English is based. In the Caribbean and especially in Canada, however, historical ties with the UK compete with geographical, cultural and economic (经济的) ties with the USA, so that some aspects (方面) of their English follow British rules and others show US usage.
English is also important as an international language and plays an important part even in countries where the UK has historically had little influence. It is learnt as the most important foreign language in most schools in Western Europe. It is also an important part of the courses in places like Japan, South Korea, and China.
Before WWII, most teaching of English as a foreign language used British English as its model. Since 1945, however, the economic power of the USA and its influence in popular culture has meant that American English has become models for learners of English in places like Japan and even in some European countries. British English remains the model in most Commonwealth countries where English is learnt as a second language.
English as a global language
