THE IMPORTANCE OF MASTERING ENGLISH

Assalamu’alaikum, Wr. Wb.

All praises be to Allah, The Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent, who created the beautiful world for the mankind to live. Shalawat and salam may always be given to our prophet, Muhammad PBUH, along with his families, his friends and us as his followers.

Respectful judges, committees, and all fellow participants of English Festival 2019. My name is Hanif Abdurrabb Alamsyah and I am speaking as a delegate of MA Husnul Khotimah.

Before beginning my speech, I would like to thank all of the audiences here, especially the committees, for giving me the opportunity to speak. On this grateful occasion, I would like to talk about “the importance of  mastering English.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to talk about the significant role of language in our daily life. Language, a system of arbitrary vocal symbols, allows human to communicate and cooperate one another. By language, someone can make statements, convey facts and knowledge, explain or report something, and keep social relations among the language users. This indicates that by the means of language, people can express their ideas, feelings and information. Language assists people to interact each other to reach mutual understanding.

Based on the data taken from UNESCO, there are approximately 6.912 languages used for human communication in the world. But among these abundant languages, there are five most spoken languages: English, Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi and Arabic. English is considered as a universal language, one of the most spoken language around the world. Therefore, English is very popular. It is spoken and learnt by almost all of the people in the world. They have no reason not to learn English since English is the first thing they need to compete in the high level of the international zone.

Brothers and sisters,

This fact brings us to the idea that to reach the high level of success in the international zone, we should firstly master English besides the other things that we must be knowledgeable and smart person to see the potentials. On this grateful occasion, let me share with you the importance of why we should master English.

First, English is the key to open the door of the global society. By mastering English, we can communicate with every people in the world. This will also give us opportunities and potentials to get and contribute the best in the international scale. As students, mastering English will ease us to enroll the best international universities, so that we can get the best education. It can also be used for developing relationships in international forums, to tighten the relationship among nations in the world. Moreover, the great people’s mastery of English will develop the nation itself. Since English has a vital role in all aspects of life, the English users will directly improve the development of the nation by participating in every global aspect of life.

Second, English is a precious tool to access knowledge, science and technology. We must be aware that nowadays, western countries rule the development of science and technology. They continuously invent and develop new science and technology. Then they publish it in their own language, English. Thus, if we want to access it, to be a skilful scientist, technologist, and also to be able to compete with them, we must learn, understand and master the language they use, English.

Last but not the least, English enables us to effectively share ideas. Mastering only one language limits the capacity of readers, listeners and viewers. But if we master English, we will be able to reach the readers, listeners and viewers all over the world. Who doesn’t know Dr. Zakir Naik? I believe everybody inside this hall knows this Indian preacher. His idea to master English has brought him to the high level of success in preaching. We can imagine, how would it be if he shares his ideas in Hindi. Maybe it will still be effective for those who understand Hindi but of course it will never be as effective as what he does now. I believe that almost everybody understands what he says since he uses the more universal language, English, which is spoken in more than 101 countries in the world.

My brothers and sisters!

Finally, we can conclude that as a universal language, English does not only enable us to communicate and interact with every people in the world, but also to alter our life to be better. Therefore, English is highly necessary to be learned and mastered. The thing is, as Goethe, a Greek philosopher, once said “knowing is not enough, we must apply it, willing is not enough, we must do it.” So, starting from now, let’s learn more about English and be accustomed to use it in our daily activity. English is the bridge for the better future.

Thank you very much. ­Wassalamu’alaikum, Wr. Wb.