Chapter 12: Is Globish the Same as English?
Globish is correct English
Native English speakers can easily read and understand this book. But because of this, English speakers do not always notice that Globish is not just any English. They can miss the value of limiting their English to Globish It should instead be a comfort to them, that what they are reading can also be easily understood by Globish speakers as well.
In reading this book, all English-speakers are observing a “common ground” in action. Most probably as many as one and a half billion other people can read and understand this same book.
Of course, at first it might seem that all English speakers can use Globish almost without thinking. However, English speakers who want to speak and write Globish must do four things: (1) use short sentences; (2) use words in a simple way; as any advertiser or politician knows. (3) use only the most common English words, and (4) help communication with body language and visual additions. Also, they must find ways to repeat what they decide is very important.
Globish spelling is English spelling
Most English speakers have trouble with their own spelling, because the English words come from many cultures. There are probably more exceptions to the rules than there are rules. Often, people learn to spell English words by memory: they memorize what the word looks like.
Globish sounds like English
Globish speakers must learn to stress parts of words correctly. If the stress is correct, the word is most easily understood. It does not matter so much about the accent. And some sounds that are hard to make do not matter so much. A second problem in pronunciation is easier: the schwa sound can often be substituted in most parts of words that are not stressed. (More in Chapters 16 and 21).
Globish uses the same letters, markings and numbers as English
It also has the same days, months and other time and place forms.
Globish uses the basic grammar of English, with fewer Tenses, Voices, and Moods.
Technical Words
- Capitalize
- put a large letter at the first of the word.
- Visual
- can be seen with the eyes
- Tenses
- the time a verb shows, Present, Past, or Future order.
- Voice
- a type of grammar. We use Active voice most in Globish.
- Moods
- ways of speaking. Imperative Mood: “Don’t look at me!”