The impact on the English language post-Brexit will be drastically negative if all things are considered. The EU adopted English as its official language at a time when the UK joined the EU. Today, it is the most widely spoken language in the EU, with it being a working language in many institutions associated with the union.
After the UK’s exit English will no longer be able to retain its current status as the official language or even the working language. The two other countries where English is natively spoken as part of the EU is Ireland and Malta, though Malta had previously chosen Maltese and Irish was selected by Ireland as the official language.
How Can English Be Sustained as the Official Language of the EU?
Well, there are only two ways in which it can retain its status in the EU as the official language:
- First if Malta and Ireland by some miracle switch from their native languages to English. It will probably never happen as this stance will make both countries look unpatriotic.
- Second, if the EU continues to adopt English as the official language since, it is the official language of both Malta and Ireland. It is an argument that’s supported by the EU Council and the EU Parliament.
How does Will It Affect Language use?
The effect isn’t going to be immediate, though the impact will be gradually visible over several years. Many countries in the EU will roll back from having to teach and use English both officially and unofficially. It goes without saying that English has always been a part of many European countries. However, it was only after the UK joining the EU that it received the status of an official language. It also meant that as a result English was taught and spoken in many European countries where it wasn’t previously.
Languages that Will Take Over from English
English will most certainly lose a lot of ground which will become wider as the years pass. However, it will lose ground to German and French. Both languages are poised to become dominant in the EU once English is removed.
It would be astonishing if France, Austria, and Germany were to support the so-called status quo which sustains the use of English. The EU Council would then have to put it to a unanimous vote which will need to be in favor of English. Now for that to work there will have to be some excellent arguments in favor of having English in place of Maltese or Irish. Either way, it isn’t going to be easy or worth the effort.
It is, of course, a very unfortunate situation for countries where English is spoken. It goes without saying that English is spoken in many parts of Europe and understood in many more, much more than French or German. Some estimates are that if it weren’t for the Brexit, English would soon have become the lingua franca of the Union.