When it comes to the English language, scholars of linguistics can sound a bit Anglo-centric, though it is hard not to when English is spoken in so many parts of the world. Often, when discussing the patterns of English usage across the globe, linguists divide the speakers into three – or maybe four – categories.
First there are the countries where English is the mother tongue: the United Kingdom (obviously), Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States of America. There may be regions in some countries where other languages are spoken by some people – Welsh in parts of Wales (UK), Spanish in parts of the US, and French in parts of Canada, for example – but English can be fairly described as the native language (ENL) in these countries.
In a great many other countries, English is spoken as the second language (ESL). In Pakistan, India, several countries in Africa, the Philippines and many other places, English may not be the language spoken at home, but it is the language used in business, the universities, industry and government. In some of these countries it will be used in many social settings too. If people who met originally at work or university come from parts of the country where different languages are spoken, English will be the natural choice when out together socially.
There is a third category where English is often spoken in a country because it is learnt, usually at school, as a foreign language (EFL). Countries with small populations and unique languages, like Finland, Sweden, and Norway, understand that they need English if they are to communicate with the rest of the World. Moreover, they like watching American films! By the time students go the university, they are likely to be fluent English speakers. A friend of mine spent six months as a visiting lecturer at a university in Sweden – lecturing in English, of course. She took her two children with her and they went to the local primary school – where the teachers and pupils switched to using English in all the lessons whilst they were there. It was, the teachers insisted, good practice for all the pupils. In contrast, my friend and her children’s grasp of Swedish was still pretty limited by the time they returned to Britain.
In some countries, English may have no official status. But it may be the ‘lingua franca’ (EFL) particularly among younger people. In Switzerland, for example, English is not one of the official languages, but is often the only language in common for the large number of workers and students from other European countries.
We native English speakers have a tremendous advantage when it comes to being understood across the world. But it has its downside – Britain is one of the worst countries for people who are able to speak a second language to school exam standard, let alone speak it fluently.
Links to my books and social media
You can find all my books and short stories on Amazon books, At least one story always free. ALL BOOKS FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
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And Alex Still Has Acne – An adventure story for teens of all ages. £6.99, e-book £1.99. Free on Kindle Unlimited. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alex-Still-Has-Acne/dp/B08LNFVRLY
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CAST OFF – short stories about Shakespeare’s women. £6.99, e-book £1.99. Free on Kindle Unlimited. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M8BKZKH
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Saving Grace.
What kind of trouble has Grace got herself into? And can Courtney save her before it is too late? £6.99, e-book £1.99. Free on Kindle Unlimited. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08P9LFG7N
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Silent Echoes. Loosely based on family memories. The Carters seem just like any other family. Apart, that is, from the life changing events nobody wants to talk about. Will history just keep repeating itself? Ebook-£1.99, Print-£7.99.