Rhetorical Analysis of Patricia Ryan’s Speech “Don’t Insist on English” Essay (Critical Writing)

Patricia Ryan’s speech “Don’t insist on English” is devoted to the problem of English language globalization, the loss of other languages and the loss of knowledge with those languages. While the vast majority of the population is sure that English language globalization brings the positive effect on the whole society, Patricia Ryan tries to point at the negative sides of this aspects.

The main idea Patricia Ryan’s wants to deliver to the audience in her speech is that the globalization of English language does not give an opportunity for English-speaking countries to notice the entire knowledge of those who do not possess English language and supports the loss of irretrievable knowledge with the loss of a particular language. At the end of her speech she says “When a language dies, we don’t know what we lose with that language” and this is exactly the information she wants to deliver by the whole speech.

Patricia Ryan’s speech is impressive and effective. Trying to prove her point of view she resorts to statistics, examples, true stories and personal experience. These aspects are very important and serve to convince the audience in the correct nature of her statement. Listening to this speech it becomes obvious that the language globalization is used as one of the aspects aimed at promoting the diversity.

The author of the speech does not want to restrict students in learning English, she wants to stress on the fact that while studying students should remember about their identity and do not forget to use the knowledge they got from their parents and great-parents.

Turning to the specific means the speaker uses to convince the audience, it is important to mention that shocking statistic. Patricia Ryan says that having about 6,000 languages today, we will have about 600 languages in 90 years. These numbers are based on the average loss of one language every 14 days and the numbers are always increasing. The statistical information has always influenced the audience and the numbers are rather influential in this situation.

Trying to sound natural and make sure that he problem touch everyone, the life and professional situations of her friends and the cases from the personal experience are considered. “I want to tell you about my friend who was teaching English to adults in Abu Dhabi. And one fine day, she decided to take them into the garden to teach them some nature vocabulary.

But it was she who ended up learning all the Arabic words for the local plants, as well as their uses — medicinal uses, cosmetics, cooking, herbal. How did those students get all that knowledge? Of course, from their grandparents and even their great-grandparents”. When this story is told, everyone should remember about the similar personal experience. It is always better to convince others when people are able to refer the problem with personal situation.

This is exactly the case. Moreover, the speaker refers to the personal experience that makes her words stronger as in this case she bases her discussion not on the situations she heard about but on the specific data she knows for sure as she used to teach children for 30 years in the foreign language and she followed their desire to study abroad.

The author refers to the direct speck as if the audience asks her. The assurances that exactly this information is desired to be delivered to her the author implements into the mind of the audience that this is exactly what she wanted to ask. “‘But,’ I hear you say, ‘What about the research? It’s all in English’” is the part of her speech where Patricia Ryan refers to this device.

This stylistic mean makes the audience as if listened to the dialogue where two people are debating and it is obvious that thought thrives on conflict. Thus, offering the further arguments are perceived as the convicting and strongly proved evidence which does not require any additional proof.

Additionally, using the example where a boy from a poor settlement created a solar lamp Patricia Ryan wants to add to the discussion the global perspective stating that the whole world should be bothered with the problem. She as if wanted to say that the boy would never study in the UK or US educational establishment as the absence of knowledge and money was a great barrier, but such people are really important for the world society and it is important to support them.

Therefore, Patricia Ryan states that the spread of English prevents the spread of great ideas in the world and she manages to prove this point of view stating the English should not become the main criteria for reaching the desired purposes in education as well as the fees which are necessary for passing the tests.

For those who might consider that the speech by Patricia Ryan was too provocative, she says the following, “Now don’t get me wrong; I am not against teaching English, all you English teachers out there. I love it that we have a global language. We need one today more than ever. But I am against using it as a barrier”. This phrase is important as having said it Patricia Ryan says that she is for English globalization, but against the loss of diversity.