Culture & society10 min
Why English became the world's default language
Explore how a series of historical accidents and the rise of the mid-century global shipping industry cemented English as the 'lingua franca' over rivals like French or Esperanto. It examines the economic and political gravity that keeps it in place today.
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In this episode
- 01Intro1 min
- 02The Diplomatic Pivot: From Versailles to the UN2 min
- 03The Logistics of the Sea: Maritime English3 min
- 04The Skies and the Wire: Aviation and Technology2 min
- 05The Gravity of the Default: Economic Lock-in2 min
- 06Outro1 min
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