Global English in the Digital Age: Linguistic Convergence, Cultural Divergence, and the Transformation of World Englishes

Abstract

This research examines the complex relationship between globalization and the English language, investigating how economic, technological, and cultural globalization processes have transformed English from a national language to a global lingua franca while simultaneously creating new patterns of linguistic diversity and local adaptation. Through analysis of corpus data, sociolinguistic surveys, and ethnographic fieldwork across multiple geographical contexts, this study employs World Englishes theoretical framework to examine how globalization impacts English language variation, change, and ideological positioning. Key findings reveal that globalization creates simultaneous pressures for linguistic standardization and localization, resulting in the emergence of new English varieties that reflect local cultural values while participating in global communicative networks. The research demonstrates that digital communication technologies accelerate both convergence toward global English norms and divergence toward locally meaningful linguistic practices, creating unprecedented complexity in English language variation patterns. Analysis of educational policy, media discourse, and corporate communication reveals how institutional forces promote particular varieties of English while marginalizing others, contributing to new forms of linguistic inequality on a global scale. The study contributes to World Englishes scholarship by providing systematic evidence for how globalization transforms English language ecology while offering critical insights into the relationship between linguistic change and cultural power in contemporary global contexts.