#Bilingualeducation

A new wave of scholarship is overturning the simplistic view of English as a “killer language” steamrolling over the world’s linguistic diversity. Recent findings, as highlighted in Laura Spinney’s latest article for Big Think, reveal that while English remains undeniably dominant, its expansion and alleged impact on other languages are far more complex than previously thought. Instead of a binary narrative of destruction and supremacy, researchers now see English as both converging and diverging — simultaneously fueling the birth of new varieties, while occupying a unique and dynamic role in multilingual societies worldwide. These insights are critical for Thai readers, educators, and policymakers grappling with the place of English in a rapidly globalizing region.

A fresh wave of scholarship challenges the idea that English relentlessly erodes linguistic diversity. While English remains dominant, researchers say its influence is more nuanced than a simple battle of loss and supremacy. For Thai readers, educators, and policymakers, this evolving understanding offers a more balanced view of how English fits into multilingual societies and what it means for Thailand’s education and culture.

English rose to its global prominence in the globalization era, becoming a common lingua franca. Critics once labeled it a “killer language” that would drive smaller tongues to extinction. But leading linguists argue the term misleads. English has expanded as a practical tool for international communication, while many indigenous languages continue to thrive in daily life outside Europe. In other words, bilingualism and multilingualism persist, and the “killer language” label reflects a Eurocentric perspective rather than global linguistic realities.

A wave of neuroscience at MIT’s McGovern Institute is reshaping how we understand language learning. Led by a senior scientist, the work maps the brain’s language networks and shows these regions operate largely independently from other tasks such as music or social perception. This helps answer longstanding questions about where language resides in the brain and how these areas develop over time.

The research probes the timing of neural activity in language areas. Distinct neuronal groups appear to process linguistic content at different speeds, revealing layers of complexity in language comprehension. The findings suggest new teaching approaches for early learners and for individuals with atypical neurological development, emphasizing timing and sequence in language instruction.