Anglosphere - the stages of formation of linguistic empire
The general law of the development of language pertains to the political, military and economic power of the people speaking it. So, Latin supplanted Etruscan and Greek with the spread of Roman rule beyond Lazio. The collapse of Rome meant the decline of Latin.
Several centuries later, in a tense struggle of Spanish, Italian and French, the latter has established itself as the dominant in Europe. France at that time was considered as the most populous nation, the most centralized country, the most prestigious and wealthy kingdom with a strong army. Classic French language during the XVII century. was a means of enhancing the prestige of the state. Grammarians and lawyers work in the service of the monarchy ended with the base of the French Academy.
Outside Europe, the expansion of the scope of the use of European languages facilitated colonization. English took advantage of it more than the French, as the English colonies were the Resettlement made into a "new England". Today, the U.S. carried out an elaborate linguistic policies pursued by both the federal government and universities, foundations. An additional factor in the growth of the influence of the English language have become media, film and new technologies.
The term "Anglosphere" is understood by many experts as a group of English-speaking countries with a common law, but it involves much more than just a collection of all the people for whom English is a primary or secondary language. To join the "Anglosphere", you need to follow the basic practices and principles that form the backbone of the English-speaking cultures: individualism, the rule of law, respect for contracts and transactions, as well as the transformation of freedom in the primary political and cultural value.
Anglosfericheskaya school of thought argues that the English-speaking states not only formed a special branch of Western civilization, but transformed into a separate civilization of self-worth. It is characterized, in particular, developed civil society - the source of a long successful constitutional government and economic prosperity. Accordingly, the "Anglosphere" led the field of scientific and technological revolution with the XVII to XXI century. and, in all likelihood, will lead in the future.
Judge J. Bennett believes no accident that a number of steps NTR began in the United States. According to him, the colonization of North America proceeded in such a way that the most useful features of civil society have been brought back from England, and the least useful feudal vestiges of "forgotten" in the Old World. Entrepreneurial culture Quakers in Pennsylvania and northern England, the Methodists in northern and central England and America and the Calvinists in New England and Scotland have made a significant contribution to the origin, development and domination of the industrial and information revolutions.
In recent years, the concept Anglosphere was confirmed to designate the countries in which English is used as a first or second language. Although belonging to the Anglosphere is determined not only by the use of the language, but also cultural and political priorities of the country, which should correspond to the historically "truly British" values.
These include: individualism, equality before the law, the worship of individual freedom, trial by jury, the presumption of innocence, the inviolability of the home. How civilizational structure Anglosphere covers USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa. The country is the Caribbean, Oceania, Africa and India are considered "boundaries" Anglosphere, which do not necessarily correspond to the underlying principles in the first place, legal and socio-cultural, so for them yet posted sign "Closed".