How did English become the global force it is today? This free course, English in the world today, explores the status of the language and its worldwide diversity. It looks at how social and political factors influence people's attitudes towards it, and at the relationship between one's linguistic heritage and sense of identity.

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• understand the diversity of English through history and around the world
• understand the effect of social and cultural factors on an individual’s use of English
• understand the relationship between a person’s linguistic heritage and their sense of identity
• understand the ways in which different varieties of English in use around the world are categorised.