The Evolution of the English Language and Its Impact on ESL Students’ Reading Skills in the 21st Century

Abstract

The English language has experienced significant transformations over the centuries, adapting in response to political, cultural, and technological shifts. From its beginnings in Anglo-Saxon to its present role as a global common language, English has changed in terms of vocabulary, syntax, spelling, and pronunciation. In the 21st century, this transformation is hastened by globalization, digital communication, and exposure to multimedia. For students learning English as a second language (ESL), this shift presents both prospects for engagement and obstacles in understanding, particularly in reading.

Reading in a foreign language requires decoding, interpreting, and assessing texts that often embody intricate cultural and linguistic subtleties. With the growing use of informal English, online slang, multimodal texts, and abbreviated sentence structures, traditional ESL programs find it challenging to stay relevant. This paper examines the historical progression of English, the characteristics of modern English usage, and the effects of these changes on the reading abilities of ESL learners in the 21st century.