Vol. 12 No. 02 (2023): Volume Twelve / The second issue of Alijtihed Journals, May 2023 (Serial Number: 35)
Languages are the first source of communication between us. Through them we share our thoughts and ideas. There are thousands of languages in the world, and countries have their official and national languages, in addition to regional languages. It is worth noting that there are groups of languages spoken by millions of people, and in contrast there are languages spoken by only a few thousand.
English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, every month groups of people embark on learning the language of Shakespeare. Why is it so popular ?
Some estimates indicate that there are over 1.5 billion people speaking English across the world, according to 2015 statistics. English is the official language in a total of 67 in the world’s 195 countries and a second language in 27 states. Moreover, the total number of people who use English regularly is about 850 million (342 million people as their mother tongue, 508 million as a secondary language).
The English language is originally from England. Throughout history and the efforts of the British Empire, it became the first or second official language of many British colonies, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and India. The economic and cultural success of this empire, especially between 1783 and 1914, benefited greatly from the influence of the English language.
English is a primary language in the field of education. In many countries, children are taught in English and encouraged to speak it as a second language.
Especially in developing countries where education benefits from international aid. Moreover, even in countries that have not worked to include it as an official language, such as the Netherlands or Sweden, most science or engineering programs and undergraduate research are in English. It should be noted that at the university, many students take courses in the English language, as the English language makes education easier for as many people as possible.
Published:
2025-01-08
