Learn 5 reasons why English is the universal language
There are countless reasons to study English and master the language, but they all come together in one: it is the universal language. As we have seen, the English language is one of the three most widely spoken languages in the world, along with Spanish and Chinese. More than 360 million people speak it as their mother tongue, while another 500 million speak it as a second language. Thus, it is the most studied language around the planet.
Beyond its rich history, its expansion and its evolution over time, there are many reasons that made the English language the “universal language.” Next, we will analyze some of the main aspects to review all the reasons that drive us to study English today.
The evolution of the English language into the business language par excellence occurred naturally, since it is the official language of two of the most strategic financial centers in the world: the United Kingdom and the United States. Furthermore, this is the official language or has a special status (such as a co-official language) in 75 independent territories around the globe. Therefore, mastering the universal language is essential to do business outside your country of origin’s borders.
The expansion of the English language around the world is one of the cultural events that marked the evolution of civilization during the last quarter of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. In almost the entire planet it is possible to affirm that most of the inhabitants speak “a little” of English or at least can understand it. Therefore, this means that whoever masters this language could be understood by almost everyone. This expansion of the language around the globe is one of the most important events that have marked humanity since the very birth of language. So much so, that before this phenomenon no language had reached the character of a universal language.
The Anglo-Saxon countries and their cultural industries are an inexhaustible source of international entertainment. With Hollywood at the helm and the subsequent arrival of streaming platforms – such as Netflix and Amazon – we could say that English is also the language of mass culture. Although in this globalized world all entertainment products are translated into dozens of languages, the truth is that it will always be better to enjoy movies, books and songs in their original language. Therefore, film and music were also great allies in the expansion of English and its evolution into a universal language.
The origins and history of the English language are exciting. Invasions, wars and land sieges marked the path of the evolution of this language from Old English to the modern English that we speak today. Since the third century, different cultures contributed to the formation of the language; among them, the German, the Roman and the French. Therefore, this language is truly a hybrid that brings together elements of different languages. This mixture of cultures, expressions and words transforms it into a universal language because it is, in general terms, easy to learn for speakers of other languages.
Almost all the people who have adopted English as a second language agree on something: in this language there are many ways of saying things. Thanks to its wide vocabulary (between 750 thousand and 1 million words) and to all the words that are added year after year, in English you can find many ways to explain the same thing. The flexibility of the English language is such that in other countries even new languages have been invented from the root of English. This is the “Singlish” of Singapore, which combines it with Chinese and Malay. Likewise, in Spanish-speaking countries it is common to say that “Spanglish” is spoken when concepts and words in English and Spanish are intermixed.
We hope you enjoyed discovering the top 5 reasons that made English the universal language. The best time to learn and master this language is always now. Until next time!