What's the future of English in Tuva?

Yesterday I posed my students the question: What role will English language play in the future of the Tuvan Republic? Here are some student replies. I also answered the question--my answer will be at the end of all the others.

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Well, to my mind, English language will play a very important role. I think everyone will speak English. English will become as Russian is now. Everything will be written in English, because even now English is spreading quickly throughout the whole world. We Tuvans will know: Tuvan, Russian and English languages. To my mind, it will be cool. Everyone will be more spiritually high people. They say, as many languages as a person knows, that's how many people he is. I mean, the more people know languages the more people will be educated, well-behaved and so on. I believe English will play an educational role in the future of the Tuvan Republic.

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English language plays an important role in the world because it is an international language which is spoken by millions of people. When people meet (not in English speaking countries) they, in the majority of cases, speak in English. English plays an especially great role for our Republic, which is not developed for English language. I hope, we, i.e. our Republic, will develop. But when English language is spoken we need people and of course it depends on these people. If they study English our Republic will be the most developed Republic in our country.

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Nowadays, the English language is becoming very important. It is the language of communication, cooperation, work, and friendship.It is very important here that English is studied from an early age. I mean, children begin study from kindergarten. We see that English is everywhere: all instructions are in English... In the secondary school the English teachers try to teach children effectively using all possibilities: TV set, newspapers, movies in English. I want to say also that schoolchildren have to take an exam in English, so when they finish school they take the State Exam (ЕГЭ) in English. It was the first point. And the second point is that Tuva is a very beautiful place, a place where ancient (people's) traditions and customs are kept. So every year Tuva attracts foreigners with such qualities. I think we should learn the English language. Every year to our philological faculty come a lot of foreign teachers and students. And with in Tuva deals with foreign companies, businessmen... So I think English plays a great, successful and important role in Tuvan life. I hope Tuva will develop dealing with foreign persons, companies and studying the English language.

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We all know that the English language has a great influence on the world and that it's widely spread all over the world. Almost everything is written in English, the Internet is an example of it. English speaking people think that everyone should speak English, at least they expect everyone they meet to be able to communicate in English. And of course they are very glad if a person they talk to can speak their language.

Nowadays, English is of immense importance, and Tuva is not an exception. I mean, English has become one of the important things in Tuva. A Tuvan person who speaks English is greatly "respected" and "valuable" here, because only a few people can speak English. Earlier people didn't really realize the importance of English here, that's my opinion. But now people have begun to value many things, including English too.

We know that our country is a small one and that its unique. One more thing we are proud of is that our small Republic is situated at the very center of Asia and that is the thing that attracts many people's attention and their curiosity. Another thing which is a reason people are interested in Tuva is throat singing. All the things like these can cause tourism in Tuva. But we know that tourism is not so developed. But if someday Tuva will become a place of tourism, then the English language will be at the very top of the list of important things, because its an international and the most "fashionable" language.

Anyway, no matter what will be there in the future, English will play a great role.

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English language is the most important, modern and popular in the present time. And nowadays every person needs it. Earlier in the Tuvan Republic this language wasn't important, because there were only a few teachers of English language. As I remember, there weren't English teachers in our village when I studied at school. But now, on the contrary, every person wants to study it, usually in the Tuvan Republic. I think, in the future for the Tuvan Republic English language will be necessary for communication with other nations, to negotiate in traveling, to watch American films and cartoons, to study in America, in China, and so on. To read English books, magazines, to speak English, usually in villages. Finally, I want to say that English language is necessary always and everywhere, but so are other languages.

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The English language is a good opportunity to talk with foreigners. The English language has become the most popular language in the world. In the Tuvan Republic, the English language has become needed, because in Russia every educational establishment demands knowledge of the English language. In Tuva since 2010, pupils must pass the General Exam Certificate. Without this exam a pupil cannot enter to an educational establishment. In my opinion, who knows! English shows that a person is intelligent. I think in 10 years every person will speak English.

Pupils from the the first class start to learn English language. In our time parents want their children to start learning English at an early age. As far as I'm concerned, the English language for me is so interesting and wonderful. When I hear people are talking to each other in English I become interested in what they are talking about. My mother tells me every day that English language is useful, and also she says that the English language is my future life. I understand her, because to know this language I open the door to my future.

I only dream that when I graduate from university I will be an understanding teacher. And I will remind pupils that they should rapidly learn the English language. On the one hand I like people who speak English. When I watch TV of American films I like their conversation. On the other hand, I want to live in the USA, because my future is there. And also I love my native country. Someday maybe my dreams will come true.

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The English language is a very important language in the world. Every person speaks English in our time. English language becomes more popular each year on the Earth, and also in Russia and Tuva. You won't find a job if you don't know the English language. Therefore the subject of English is taught in every school from the first class. In my opinion, it is necessary to learn English. It is one of the power languages, as are Russian, Chinese, and Japanese languages. There are many films, songs, books and issues in Russia which will be in English. For example, if you bought a TV set, its instructions will be in English language. So, it is a very needed language.

I have been learning English for three years. So I know the English language is an excellent language, also it is a many-sided and difficult language. But, I know it will come in handy in my future life.

The English language will play a huge role in Tuvan development and economics. There will soon be opened a railway to Tuva, and every year many travelers will arrive from the USA and many other countries. We will communicate with them in English, of course, because they won't know the Tuvan language. I dream about travelling to the USA and I hope my dream will be realized in the future.

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The English language is one of the most important of the world languages. Every year, the English language becomes more important and popular in the Republic of Tuva.

The English language is interesting and beautiful, and it is also mild and sweet in pronunciation. For Tuvan people it's sometimes not so difficult to study because there are some sounds like "Ң" and "Ө", for example the sounds "sing" ("ng") and "earth" ("eh"). Nowadays, teachers teach small children from an early age and speaking English is so interesting for children in kindergarten. They try to speak, to greet each other, to ask questions in the English language. The English language is studied in every school. It has become compulsory to pass the State Exam.

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I don't know what future the English language will have in the Tuvan Republic. I suppose it will depend on if he Tuvan Republic develops economic relationships with the world of global business. English is the language of business, the language of world commerce. If the Tuvan Republic were to build factories producing a much-needed product for an international corporation, I suspect it would also create a need for translators. Although I don't know how much this would effect the lives of average Tuvans.

More centrally, I see the impact of English on life in Tuva through forms of media that are exported to Russia and Tuva through globalization. Because of modern communication technologies (such as television and the internet) ideas, programs, songs, and advertisements created and produced in America can and often do appear in different parts of the world. An example of this in Tuva is English language songs, which can often be heard on Tuvan gazelle buses. An example in Russian national media is the incorporation of English words and phrases into usual dialogue and commonly used in television serials. Last week watching a Russian competition serial, one of the competitors turned to the television before starting his round, saying in perfect English "Let's Go." English is a high-prestige language in Russia, as having good language skills means a person is both intelligent and wealthy enough to afford lessons with a competent teacher or native speaker.

However, it is important to note that this cross-cultural dialogue of ideas, language and media does not just involve English language. Popularity of Indian films in Russia, or Plov, the Uzbek national dish are also examples of this. Also, this process is nothing new on planet Earth. Such "borrowings" between cultures and people of technologies and languages have been happening all throughout history. The only thing that has changed is that modern technologies allow this exchange to happen at a much faster rate, often an almost instantaneous rate.

Finally, I see the future of English language in Tuva as being connected to the development of Tuva's budding tourism industry. If tourism in Tuva grows and Tuva becomes a place, like Mongolia, which attracts tourists from around the world, I think that many of these tourists will speak English either as a first or second language. Having people in Tuva who speak English will change local ideas about whether English is a practical skill that everybody should know.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I believe English will be playing a somewhat larger role in Tuva's future. I also think that other languages will also play an important role. Russian is already a crucially important language, and Mongolian also has some shared vocabulary and common history with Tuvan language, as well as the fact that the languages are spoken by cultures with much in common. Finally, I think that Chinese language will also play a role in the future of Tuva. How could it not? China is so close and trade connections with the local economy are strong and continue to deepen. Even in a globalized world, choices about which language to speak are often determined by economics, geography and convenience. Tuva's linguistic tapestry will continue to be effected by the tourists and businessmen who come to visit and trade. Only time can say exactly how.