THE INFLUENCE OF ENGLISH ON THE VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE IN THE ERA OF GLOBALISATION

Abstract

This article examines the influence of English on Vietnamese in the context of globalisation, with particular attention to lexical borrowing, code-switching, digital discourse, and language attitudes. Grounded in contact linguistics, sociolinguistic theory, and language ideology studies, the paper uses a qualitative design that combines naturalistic observation of public and digital language practices with a systematic review of recent scholarship on English-Vietnamese contact. The analysis shows that English influence is most visible in the lexical domain, especially in technology, education, business, and popular culture. English-Vietnamese code-switching is also widespread in youth-oriented and digitally mediated communication, where it serves pragmatic functions such as emphasis, brevity, and topic framing, as well as social functions such as identity performance and in-group solidarity. Syntactic and phonological influences appear more limited and register-specific, although Englishinfluenced discourse markers, passive constructions, and loanword pronunciation patterns are increasingly noticeable among proficient bilingual users. The study further indicates that attitudes toward English influence remain ambivalent: younger speakers often treat bilingual hybridity as a sign of modernity and global identity, while purist concerns persist in public and institutional discourse. The paper concludes with implications for Vietnamese language policy and English education.