Verbal communication is an important feature that distinguishes man from other biological species. The English 
language or English plays an important role in verbal and written communication. It is estimated that seventy percent (70%) of the world’s population speak English, the first language of communication at the United Nations. In other international bodies such as the Commonwealth, the ECOWAS, NATO, ACP etc, English plays important role in written and verbal communication.
The importance of English
English is an official language of many countries and it is the most extensively used language in the world. In the international setting, one has to speak more than one international language to be competitive. It is next to impossible to gain employment in a public international organisation without working knowledge of English. More often than not, English is the lingua franca during meetings of persons who speak other languages outside English. Meetings between politicians, technocrats, administrators, academics, sports personalities/enthusiasts, businessmen and ordinary people from Portugal and Italy or from Denmark and China or from Pakistan and Sweden or from other non-English speaking nations are usually conducted through the medium of English. In the international fora, English is thus an important lingua franca. Fluency or average comprehension of English is a sine qua non for successful operation at the world stage. Even within nations, people have had to resort to English as important lingua franca. The versatility of English is seen in the fact that in the Scandinavian Peninsula, English is sometimes used during corporate board meetings. Similarly, English is sometimes employed during conferences of Arab-speaking countries.
English at the WASSCE
One of the four compulsory subjects at the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is English. In Ghana, obtaining credit in English at the second cycle level is a requirement for admission to a third cycle institution. In the WASSCE examination which is administered by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) credit in English (as of 2016), is grade C6. A candidate for the position of a clerk or above in a formal sector in Ghana must obtain credit in English to be successful in his or her application. Many a student has had to write English more than once to gain admission to a tertiary institution. A few students have had to end formal education due to their inability to pass English at the WASSCE. In the international arena, the importance of English is felt by those who aspire to pursue higher education. International students who write to universities in the United States have to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) to gain admission.
Sources of English
The English language has several sources. Among others, the Bible and geography have influenced the growth of English. Latin, Greek, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish and others have considerably influenced the development of English. Arguably, the single language that has influenced English vocabulary is French. It is said that close to forty percent (40%) of all English words come from French. The influence of French on English is seen in the fact that there are expressions, phrases, words and names of food items in English that have been obtained from French. There are words in English that have been modified from words in French. Dentist comes from the French noun ‘le dent’ which is tooth. Dormitory is derived from the French verb ‘dormir’ – to sleep, courier from ‘courir’ – to run, penchant from ‘pencher’ – to lean, convoy from ‘convoyer’ – to escort, envoy from ‘envoyer’ – to send, niche from ‘nicher’ – to hang out, montage from ‘monter’ – to climb, entourage from ‘entourer’ – to surround, tomb from ‘tomber’ – to fall, parliament from ‘parler’ – to speak, abattoir from ‘abbatre’ – to knock down, vendor from ‘vendre’ – to sell, apprentice from ‘apprendre’ – to learn, enterprise from ‘entreprendre’ – to embark upon, tenacity from ‘tenir’ – to hold and many more. Expressions such as aide-de-camp, aide mémoire, nouveau riche, RSVP (Répondez S’il Vous Plait) agent provocateur and others are directly obtained from French.
Duels of civilisation
How did French gain such an enduring foothold in English? Some of the wars, battles or duels fought in times past have influenced human civilisation. One such bloody encounter is the Norman Conquest which took place nine centuries and fifty years ago. Nine hundred and fifty years ago, to be precise 14th October 1066, a culture-transforming battle took place at the port city of Hastings (the battle of Hastings) in South East England. The outcome of that single duel brought about the abiding influence of French on English.
The Norman Conquest
It must be mentioned that even before the Norman Conquest of 1066, French had already begun an impact, albeit small, on the growth of English. English King Aethelred was deposed in 1013 and took refuge in Normandy where he married and had a son, Edward. On becoming King of England in 1042, Edward brought with him to England a good number of French people who conducted their social and commercial activities in French. The influence of French on English became even pronounced after the conquest of England by William of Normandy in 1066. With King William on the English throne, many people traveled from France to live in England. With William as the supreme monarch of England, measures were taken that ensured the abiding influence of French on English. French expressions, phrases and words gained constant stream into English. The French Duke William of Normandy (1028-1087) sailed across the English Channel in 1066. The courageous French royal invaded England and ruled the kingdom after killing the enthroned English king, Harold II in a fierce encounter (the battle of Hastings). This took place after the death of the last Anglo Saxon king of England, Edward the Confessor (c 1003-1066). William became known as William the Conqueror because he conducted a brutal conquest of England. Here is the background of the Harold and William duel. King Harold, the named successor to Edward was shipwrecked off the coast of France in 1064. He was then a prince of the English royal throne when this incident took place. Then Prince Harold was reported to have taken an oath to support William of Normandy (King Edward’s distant cousin) on the death of King Edward. (The reality of the matter is that words are spirits. People should be mindful of the words they utter. They have the potential to make or ruin the lives of persons who utter such words. Esau did that in the Bible and paid dearly for it). Upon hearing the death of King Edward, the French Duke of Normandy, William and his army travelled by sea to England. Harold was already enthroned as King Harold II. William’s ascent to the English throne became a little easier due to an internal rivalry in the royal family in England. Unity, they say is strength and a house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25). The truth is that it is often difficult for a general to win battles on two or more fronts. The noble Wessex family was at war with itself and that played to the advantage of the invading group from France. The brother of Harold, Tostig was helped by the Norwegians in the family feud. William and his troops entered England without stiff opposition because King Harold was engaged in a battle against his brother and Norway. King Harold won the internal war and lost the more important external battle. Though King Harold defeated the Norwegians and his brother Tostig (slain in battle), he lost the more important battle against William of Normandy. On October 14, 1066, William and Harold met in a decisive and culture-modifying battle at Hastings near Dover. In spite of the fact that King Harold II fought valiantly, his best was not good enough. He died in battle. On December 25, 1066, William of Normandy was crowned king of England at Westminster Abbey in London. In the twenty one years that he ruled, King William imposed Norman aristocracy on England. He instituted the speaking of French at court. French became the official language in the conduct of public service. French people of all classes came to live in England during the twenty one year period William was king of England. As a result, the period of the reign of King William and its aftermath set in motion the abiding influence of French on English. The influence of French on English vocabulary continued for about three hundred years after the reign of William the Conqueror. After the death of King William in 1087, the Norman nobility mixed with what was left of the Anglo Saxons. This intermingling resulted largely in the English as it is spoken today – from the German tongue of the Anglo Saxons combined with the Norman French.
The writer is a teacher
Writer’s e-mail: jkaobimpong@yahoo.co.uk