I do not know if I understand the question well , but other languages had similar stories to what the English is passing these days , perhaps to a lesser degree , but technology once also was another. As linguistics student, I can say that an accurate prognosis is almost impossible , as when dealing with linguistic policy , linguistic change, and any matter in this problematic , everything is possible . In Brazil , where I live , until the 1920s , the French seemed soon to be spoken throughout the country , causing the Brazilians think that speak well only if it were in French . Currently there is a feeling like this , but with the English language . I think the variability of Englishes support the tenancy of the English as lingua franca. 

I think the advent of "World English;" that is, English in which accent does not matter, can help English be used as global lingua franca long into the future.  Who says 2L English speakers must sound exactly like native speakers? If we accept English speakers' natural accents along with natural nuances (which often may include small mistakes), then we have a charming way LF that can be used by millions of people to communicate. Of course there will always be grammarians as perfectionists who pick out mistakes, but I think those who simply 'communicate' in whatever English they can will support English usage everywhere.

Dear Shareef,

Language spread, the predominance of one language over other languages, is a reality we cannot ignore. Looking at the past history of one language standing out among others has a lesson for us all because a language selected globally for education and interaction owes much to certain external factors such as sociopolitical prestige of the language serving as the lingua franca. Once it was Latin and  at later times it was French, and now it is English. Who knows just in a few years time, it may be Chinese.As you have rightly observed, English is now the unified global language because its native speakers belong to countries which stand on the pedestal. Not surprisingly, people in other countries use the language because much of the documented knowledge generated in the world in terms of innovations and discoveries belong to such nations.

Best regards,

R. Biria 

We have to accept that in use of English around the world, there are many variations, including both variations in pronunciation, and even variations in word choice and grammar.

To a native speaker who has NOT traveled extensively, these differences will likely be seen as correct versus incorrect.  But I think that the more enlightened view is that considerable variation is OK, particularly in verbal English.  

Written English may be a more complex question, depending on where the writing is to appear.  In social media, plenty of variation is still OK.  In scholarly or Journalistic writing, there are more precise definitions of what is correct.

Thanks a lot for you all. I really appreciated your fruitful answers. However, I concern on one hand, the core reason for adopting one language to be used for different mutual global purposes; academic, economic,......etc. On the other hand, the expected results of ongoing variation of English language and its linguistic side effects. For example, when Nigerians find difficulties to understand Indians' English, Chinese face challenges to communicate in English with Arabs, Americans deeply need interpreters to do some missions in Scotland,......and so on. 

Ahmed --- you are correct that this kind of situation happens.  I am a native English speaker from the US and in Scotland this summer, I had great trouble understanding some people, who were also native speakers.  

But I think that this would also be true of any world-wide language.  Pronunciation and vocabulary would always have localized variations.  Not all Chinese speakers even use the same alphabet, for example.

I think these varieties (or what you call "Englishes") may expand English more and more as a LINGUA FRANCA. The advent of the Internet and the spread of the web in late nineties made me feel that people were trying their best to find a common ground for communication and interaction. Besides, whatever varieties are currently there, English is still an easy language to learn. Hopefully, standardized English will take over in the future! Mahmoud

This is a very important question that requires an avoidance of ad fiat tendencies and proper understanding of how English should function at the international level. Right now there is a general consensus that English is becoming a world language. While we can not say this for certain, this at least seems to be the current trend. English as a Lingua Franca (EFL) is an important field of emerging research that one should consider to better understand these developments. One of their key positions is that at the international level, English is a language owned by no one and the native and nonnative speakers (NES and NNES respectively) should be considered as we collect a corpus of all different Englishes that exist in the international sphere. This is how we can avoid believing that there is no avoidance of the NES variety dominating the international sector while at the same point, creating a truly international language. I hope you found this short paragraph useful, and I would point you to the work of Dr. Pennycock and Dr. Mahboob for a further understanding of this issue and possible frameworks to think about this phenomenon.

If you are belonging to expending circle based on Kachru's Cocentric Circles of English, you do not have to speak the way the native speakers do, except you are always among them everyday. What you must always care with is good pronunciation and grammar for your listeners to understand you.    

English as a lingua franca seems to be expanding more and more around the world. In my context, English used to be seen as an option, not chosen by many. Nowadays, it is seen as a huge necessity. Now, English is taught everywhere, in public and private schools to a certain extent in its variation and degree. Anyway, this has brought jobs and other opportunities for English-speaking people, native and non-native speakers. And, I'm sure English (and World Englishes) will continue its legacy, tendency, and use for many years ahead in the future. 

It will be interestng to see what happens in the EU.  Will the EU continue to use as its lingua franca the language of the countrry which decided it didn't want to be a member of the EU?  Once the UK is gone, there will be no country to sponsor English as a working language of the countless committees of the EU.  I used to attend EU meetings on language policy, with delegates from a couple of dozen countries, and it was the norm at the beginning of the session for the chair to say "Everyone speaks English here?". Invariably the answer was yes, to which the chair would say "Interpreters dismissed" and the interpreters would file out of the room.   I never liked that practice, as it showed up the hypocrisy of the EU in claiming to promote diversity,  but it wasn't up to me to demand that Spanish, French etc interpreters remain on.

Ireland will remain in the EU as the sole English-speaking country, for the moment at least, but Ireland cannot sponsor the English language as it has already sponsored Irish as a semi-working language of the EU.  So yet another problem for the EU !!!

 I expect the EU bosses will once agan have to swallow their pride (or arrogance) and agree to continue using English.

Proliferation of wide variety is undoubtedly unavoidable in English language due to globalization and ICTs. I suggest these days we have to to be more flexible and focus on clarity in communication. Secondly,  we should emphasise on 'appropriacy' instead of accuracy'. I hope it helps!