Language is a tool used to communicate our needs with each other. The language itself can make it easier for us to channel ideas, feelings, and many other things. Yet with the variety of cultures, we have in our world, many languages were born.
We already took a trip to find out the most studied languages in the world. While it’s good to know which language is the most spoken throughout the world, this doesn’t truly show us which one’s lure in the most learners. So read on as we unveil the big winner below.
What is the most common language in the world?
Well, it’s hard to answer this question since few people are interested in studying it. However, comparing different studies and sources has helped us get closer to an answer. The results?
English — Big surprise there, right?! Yet How Did English Become a Widespread Language?
As the British Empire expanded its colonies and geopolitical dominance, English became more widely spread. And as a result of commerce, science & technology, diplomacy, art, and formal education, English became the first truly global language, making international communication easily facilitated by English.
There are many different reasons why people choose to study languages. But most of the time, it tends to come down to two main things: cultural and economic relevance. As a start, language complexity is fairly important when deciding whether or not to commit to a task. Yet it's also important to consider just how widely spoken a language actually is. The greater the number of speakers, the more useful the language would be for learners hoping to interact with as many people as possible.
That’s why it’s not entirely surprising to find out that the most studied language in the world is English.
Unsurprisingly, Statistics show that the Shakespearean language is the most studied one in 120 countries out of the 194, included in the Duolingo study, topping the rankings in most countries over South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Today, English is spoken by over 75% of the world’s population and is the official language of a number of countries including South Africa and Singapore. While English is the most influential academic language, knowledge of business English is a must to operate in the global business world. Rapidly growing globalization nowadays has made English the principal language of business – the world’s lingua franca. And By 2022, the British Council forecasts that two billion people will be using or learning English in the world.
It is also worth noting that over half of all websites are written in English. Entrepreneurs looking to successfully launch a new business should have a decent grasp of conversational English as well as business English phrases.
Today, English is the language of international business and is the primary official language of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Nigeria, Australia, and Namibia, among other countries. Mostly thanks to globalization and the popularity of American and British media, the use of English has been further increasing, particularly among younger people.
It can be easy to forget that there are thousands of languages in the world when so many of us are lucky to know at least two. In New York City, for example, it is estimated that over 800 languages exist. While many Indigenous languages are in danger of dying out because of the lack of natives keeping them thriving, the domination of languages like English or Spanish is conquering the world.
To conclude, Learning English is now more important than ever; countries with better English skills are not only more competitive but also more open to new business opportunities. The English language became one of the most important tools to establish our viewpoint. We can learn from others, we can reject the untenable and accept the tenable, as We can propagate our theories among the international audience and readers.
Talking about English, how would you rate your related level of proficiency??