World Languages in Competition

This paper examines the evolving dynamics of global multilingualism in the digital age, focusing on the hierarchical structure of the World Language System (WLS) and the intensifying competition among languages online. Two major trends shaping linguistic diversity in the 21st century are identified: the ongoing decline of offline linguistic diversity and the selective, economically driven nature of online multilingualism. Drawing on recent data, the analysis demonstrates that while fears of an English-language internet monoculture have not materialized, digitalization has further entrenched English as the global lingua franca, creating sharper hierarchies and new digital divides. The paper explores the implications for smaller national languages, such as Romanian, which risk marginalization despite robust offline vitality. The author argues that the future of linguistic diversity depends on active digital language planning and intelligent language activism, advocating for policies that support both the global spread of English and the technological empowerment of other languages

Empowerment · Globalization · Lingua franca · Multilingualism · Omnipresence · The Internet · World Englishes · Digital Communication and Language · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching