what are the english speaking countries

What are the main countries that speak English? United States of America United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

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Which is the best English speaking country?

The Top 15 Best English Speaking Countries

1. The United States of America is among the top English speaking countries
2. India ranks among the top English-speaking countries in the world
3. Pakistan also has a significant English-speaking population
4. Philippines
5. Nigeria
6. United Kingdom
7. Germany
8. Bangladesh
9. Canada

What countries have English as their main language?

English as Official Language. Anguilla. Ireland, Northern. Singapore. Antigua and Barbuda. ...

Which country has the second most English speakers?

English Speakers By Country

• United States. The United States has the most significant number of English speakers in the world with 283,160,411 speakers.
• India. There are 125,344,736 English speakers in India, making India the country with the second largest number of English speakers.
• Pakistan. ...

How many countries in the world speak English?

English speaking countries English is the official language in 39 countries and is partly ...

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Which country has the most people speaking English?

Of the nations where English is a de facto national language, the United States is the most populous with an estimated 330 million people. There are four nations where English is the de facto language and the primary language. These include Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

What is the most spoken language in the world?

English is a West Germanic language. It has the largest number of speakers worldwide and is the third most spoken native language, behind Mandarin and Spanish. English gained traction around the world during the 17th century due to the influence of the British Empire and the United States, and English has become the leading language of international discourse.

Is English a national language?

There are also nations where English is a de facto national language, meaning that it exists in reality and is practiced, even though it is not officially recognized by law. For example, the United States has no official language at the federal level, even though English is the most commonly spoken language.

What is the history of the English language?

Linguistic History. The history of the English language, like any language, is a long history filled with changes. The earliest form of English is called Old English and developed from a set of North Sea Germanic dialects spoken by tribes know as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.

What countries did the British colonize?

Despite losing its Thirteen North American colonies in 1783, the British Empire continued to expand elsewhere, turning to colonizing Asia, Africa and the Pacific. For most of the 19th Century and early 20th Century, Britain was the world's leading imperial power.

How did the English language spread?

The English language spread with the growth and expansion of the British Empire. Starting in the late 16th Century Britain established its first colonies in the Americas. Following a colonial expansion and a series of victories over France and the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th Centuries, England became the dominant colonial power in North America and India. Despite losing its Thirteen North American colonies in 1783, the British Empire continued to expand elsewhere, turning to colonizing Asia, Africa and the Pacific. For most of the 19th Century and early 20th Century, Britain was the world's leading imperial power. By 1922 the empire controlled one-fifth of the world's population and almost one-fourth of the Earth's land. Even in the areas it did not control the empire exerted much economic influence, since it dominated world trade. Following World War Two the British Empire declined greatly, losing most of its overseas possessions during the post war decolonization period. Despite losing its empire the British spread the English language around the globe with its world spanning colonies and economic influence that one can still feel today.

Why is English considered a powerhouse?

Even outside of the "Anglosphere", English often serves as a means to bridge the gap between diverse cultures. The English language is a global powerhouse. It is the third most common native language in the world, behind only Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. It is the mostly widely spoken second language in the world and an official language ...

When did the Middle English transition to Modern English?

Middle English transitioned to Early Modern English from about mid-12th Century until the 17th Century through inflection simplification, simplifying linguistics and the Great Vowel Shift. The Great Vowel Shift is when all Middle English vowels changed their pronunciation.

Is English the primary language of the world?

English is spoken as the primary language in many countries around the world, with the core of traditional English-speaking states often referred to as the "Anglosphere", but how did the English language become a global powerhouse in the first place?

Is the English language going extinct?

The English language is in no danger of becoming extinct anytime soon, nor is it in danger of losing its spot as one of the world's most spoken and global languages. New words may come and go, but the English language seems like it will be globally strong into the very the distant future.

What Are The Main English Speaking Countries?

English is perhaps most commonly associated with the United States and the United Kingdom; the two largest English speaking countries. It is believed that there are around 230 million native speakers in the United States, making it the largest English-speaking country, while the United Kingdom has approximately 60 million native speakers.

Which countries speak English as their first language?

Some of the other notable countries around the world where English is the primary language include the Republic of Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand. Combined, these three countries are believed to be home to around 13 million people who speak English as their first language.

What is the most spoken language in India?

Although Hindi is the most widely-spoken language in India today, English remains an official language in the country and is often used in university education, and within the field of politics. Officially, just 12 percent of Indian people speak English, with many only speaking it as a second language. Nevertheless, the country has an extremely ...

What is the official language of a country?

An official language is defined as a language used by the citizens of that country during interactions with their government. It should be noted that some of the countries listed have more than one official language and, therefore, English may not necessarily be their most common native language.

How many people speak English?

The English language has approximately 400 million native speakers worldwide, trailing only Mandarin and Spanish. However, it is also the single most popular second language. As a result, when native and non-native English speakers are combined, it is recognized as the single most widely-spoken global language.

What is the official language of the Commonwealth of Nations?

English remains the only official language of the Commonwealth of Nations and is also the recognised official language of several non-sovereign entities, including Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and Bermuda.

Where did the English language originate?

How English Spread Around the World. The English language originated in Britain and the ever-expanding British Empire helped to spread the Modern English around the world during the 18th and 19th centuries.

How many countries speak English?

Tonga. Tuvalu. Uganda. United Arab Emirates. Vanuatu. Zambia. Zimbabwe. Therefore, one can say that there are a total of 75 English speaking countries in the world. While some may argue about the criteria, you could go to any of the countries listed above and speak English with confidence.

How many countries have English as their official language?

As a result, there are dozens of countries that have designated English as one of their official languages. To be more precise, there are exactly 23 countries where English is the primary language and recognized as one of the official languages of the country: Antigua and Barbuda. Bahamas. Barbados.

How many languages are spoken in the EU?

This is especially true in the European Union (EU), which has 24 official languages, but just three primary or “procedural” languages: English, French, ...

When did the English language spread?

However, due in large part to the colonization of various countries by the British Empire, the English language spread across the globe starting sometime in the 16th century. Over the following centuries, English spread to Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Polynesia, and beyond. As a result, there are dozens of countries ...

Is English the most spoken language in the world?

Nonetheless, English remains the most common language in the world, so even if you plan to travel to a non-English speaking country, you’re bound to find someone who can ...

Is English the native language of all countries?

However, the general consensus is that countries in which English is the native language for the majority of citizens are considered “English speaking countries.” Why is this the case? Because English is spoken all around the world; it is the international language of business. If we were to include all of the countries in which people speak English on our list, we would have to count every country in the world!

Minimum English language requirements

We have provided two lists of English-language countries that have been accepted as English-speaking for admissions purposes.

Countries where English is an official language

Secondary schooling is generally taught in English and applicants are assumed to meet the English language requirements, unless there’s evidence to the contrary, as per the Section 3.7: Admissions to Coursework Courses and Units Procedure (pdf, 0.58 mb).

What are the four major countries of the UK?

The UK is made up of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all perfect to explore for English speakers. Some minority languages throughout the UK include Gaelic and Welsh. Expect: Magnificent architecture, stunning countryside’s, castles galore. 4.

Which country has the same percentage of English speakers as Sweden?

Sweden’s neighbor Denmark also has the same percentage of English speakers at 86%. Danish is the official language of the country, with almost half of Danes also speaking German. Expect: mouth-watering pastries, Viking history, quaint cities. More Denmark Travel Advice: Copenhagen on a Budget.

What language do they speak in Palau?

The tiny island nation of Palau in Micronesia has two official languages: English and Palauan. Since the Philippines is also the closest neighbor to Palau, Tagalog can also be heard.

What are the two official languages of Malta?

Malta has two official languages: Maltese and English. Until 1964, Malta was under British control, which gave the Mediterranean island its English influence. 89% of residents can speak English, with many of them also able to speak Italian and French. Quite the polyglot society!

How many people in Australia speak English?

Not surprisingly, 97% of people in the land down under speak English, although the country does not have any recorded ‘official’ language. Australia still has some aboriginal languages spoken throughout the country that they are trying to preserve.

What is the official language of Sweden?

Of course, the official language of Sweden is Swedish, but 86% of people identify as also speaking English. And those who speak it, speak it very well as Sweden has been recognized by the language proficiency company ‘EF English First’ for best proficiency of English in the world.

What language do people speak in Israel?

While Hebrew is the country’s official language, 85% of Israel’s population also speaks English. Other languages you’ll hear include Arabic and Russian if you decide to visit this Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean Sea.