English language in the world
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Over two billion people speak English, making English the most prominent language by the number of speakers and the 3rd largest by the number of native speakers.
The U.S. and India have significantly total English speakers, corresponding to 283 million and 125 million. Also, 108 million native speakers live in Pakistan, 79 million in Nigeria, 64 million in the Philippines, 60 million in the United Kingdom (the largest English-speaking nation in Europe), 19 million in Canada, and 17 million in Canada. According to estimates, those who speak English as a second language differ broadly, from 470 million to over 2 billion.
In 36 nations, English is not the most spoken language but has official status.
Because English is so broadly spoken, it is now an international language. In some non-English-speaking nations, the vast majority of the population can speak English (Netherlands – 90%, Makan – 89%, Denmark and Sweden – 86%, Austria, Croatia, and Cyprus – 73%, Finland – 70%, etc.
American Englis vs. British English
The British Isles are the birthplace of the English language, and the language has been spread worldwide since the 17th century, first by the worldwide influence of the British Empire and, more recently, by that of the United States.
Over the past hundred years, the forms of the language used in the U.K. and the U.S. have branched slightly.
Distinctions between these two forms include grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and idioms.
Nowadays, American English is spreading faster than British English because Americans significantly outnumber Britons. In addition, the cultural influence of American English in the world is growing. For instance, the U.S. originated 75% of the global TV programming.
The map below shows American English vs. British English, which is taught in school.
Besides American English and British English exist other forms of English, such as Canadian English, Australian English, Irish English, New Zealand English, and their sub-varieties, in nations such as South Africa, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
