The limits of my language mean the limits of my world. ——Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher（1889-1951）To succeed in most parts of the world today, regardless of your career choice, you will need tospeak and write formal English. "English dominates international business, politics, and culturemore than any other language in human history.~~<br> For the sake of their future international business careers, millions of young students around theworld are learning English as their second language; in fact, the number of people who speak Englishas a second language may already exceed the number of native speakers.2 Those students are learningStandard English——-considered the "universal" way of speaking English because it is "standardized"and studied formally; it is also the root language of other varieties of English used around the globe.Business English is a form of Standard English and is the language used in formal situations in theworkplace; more specifically, Business English is the language of the boardroom.<br> Most English-speaking people are fluent in varieties other than formal English, even when theyare not aware of it. In fact, most are bidialectal, speaking two or more varieties of English.3 Thinkabout the way you speak when you are with family and friends. Now think about the way you speakwhen you are in a classroom. Here are a few questions to consider:<br> Are you more aware of your speech when you are in a formal situation？<br> Are you sometimes unsure if the grammar of your speech or writing is correct？<br> Do you speak differently in informal situations than you do in formal ones？<br> Most people around the world speak more than one variety, or dialect, of their native language, regardless of whether their home tongue is English or Spanish or Russian or Chinese or any other language. The use of local language （another term for variety or dialect） is prevalent throughout the world, regardless of the language being discussed.<br> This book will help you build language awareness and skills. You will learn to speak and write formal English confidently without giving up your local language. In professional, academic, and international environments, you will be prepared to speak "the queens English." And when you are with your friends or family, you will be comfortable speaking any way you want; in fact, the best language to use with friends and family is your local language. However, when you improve your Business English, your career opportunities will soar.
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