GLOBISH FOR BEGINNERS IN THE NEW YORKER
Some have argued that English has certain properties—a flexible grammar, a lack of masculine and feminine forms—that make it easier to learn, and thus to export. These qualities, though, are offset by arbitrary spelling, and, besides, there are other languages, such as Russian, that have spread despite being difficult to master. Armies and navies are ultimately more important than syntactic mechanics in establishing a language’s dissemination. Most likely, English was just in the right place at the right time.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/05/31/100531crbo_books_chotiner?currentPage=2#ixzz0pdhVdddz
