English is common in many parts of the world. What is English? We will explore its meaning and character.
According to Lexico, English is the language of England, widely used in many varieties globally. As a plural noun, the English are the people of England. In North America, English, as a mass noun, is the spin or side given to a ball, especially in pool or billiards.
It is the main language of Great Britain, the United States, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries. With some 400 million users, it is the second most spoken first language. It belongs to the West Germanic group of Indo-European languages, though its vocabulary has been much influenced by Norman French and Latin.
English characteristics
There are several factors for its widespread use. According to The Future of English by David Graddol, the shifting patterns of trade and new working practices that follow globalisation are affecting the use of the language in complex ways.
As the number of people using the language grows, the ‘inner circle’ of first-language speakers will attract second-language speakers. Correspondingly, the ‘outer circle’ of second-language speakers will attract foreign-language speakers.
It is closely associated with the leading edge of global scientific, technological, economic, and cultural developments. It has been unrivalled in its influence in the late 20th century.
Language professionals that the future will be a bilingual one. An increasing proportion of the world’s population will be fluent speakers of more than one language.
To conclude, it is the second most spoken first language and the world’s most widely used second language. It is closely associated with leading global developments of many disciplines. Do you want to improve your language skills? Check out our English course! It is suitable for users with beginners and intermediate proficiency!