English language dominance in the Eurovision Song Contest: a sociolinguistic analysis

Abstract

English is a dominant force around the world, overtaking many fields such as tourism, business, and education. As the English language grows in popularity, more and more people around the world are beginning to see the use of their own national and minority languages slowly deteriorating. Whether this be by the increase of English words used in another language, or the preference of studying or working in English, the language will not stop gaining traction anytime soon. In relation to global music competitions, English plays a vital role – it allows viewers around the world to understand messages portrayed by musicians. The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) began as an effort to share language identity and culture throughout the European Union and the world, but now, with the increase in preference to perform in English, artists see the importance of winning rather than linguistic diversity. However, this does not go unnoticed by viewers. This study examines the use of the English language in the Eurovision Song Contest and analyzes attitudes towards the increased use of it. Although English is a common language for many, that does not necessarily mean that competitors should stop submitting entries in their national languages. By using material from Facebook, conclusions are drawn in relation to the use of English in ESC, as well as attitudes toward the use of English in ESC. A comparison is made between the last twenty years to see if there has been an increase in performances in English since the language rule requirement was dropped in 1999. This study will act as a steppingstone into other fields in relation to the study of English language dominance throughout the world.