English is increasingly becoming the dominant language that the world wants to be able to speak to get ahead in business. If you have travelled abroad or been on holiday as an English speaker you are always likely to find someone that speaks English that should be able to help you should you have any problems. Whilst this is not universal it is very common in the business or tourist districts of the largest world cities. Recently the British Council came up with some statistics that emphasise just how widespread the English language has become.
- English has official or special status in at least seventy five countries with a total population of over two billion
- English is spoken as a first language by around 375 million and as a second language by around 375 million speakers in the world*
- around 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language
- one out of four of the world's population speak English to some level of competence; demand from the other three-quarters is increasing
This stats are quite overwhelming and there is evidence to support the theory that the demand is growing stoked by an ever competitive business environment. This article suggests that in Spain 78% of job offers required English to be spoken by successful candidates. So what is English being used for and why is it so important? The British Council again provides some insight
- English is the main language of books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, science, technology, diplomacy, sport, international competitions, pop music and advertising
- three quarters of the world's mail is written in English
- eighty per cent of the world's electronically stored information is in English
One of the most effective ways to learn a language particularly for business use is to immerse yourself in it and that is something that Lingoo are passionate about offering to our members through our host network. Go to Lingoo