In a highly globalized world, fast paced international communication is a must. Due to the necessity of communication between countries of different languages and the lack of multi-lingual speakers, English has emerged as a world language.
While English is not the official language of most countries, it is understood and spoken by many countries throughout the world, hence the need to frequently translate English to Spanish and other languages. English is the most commonly taught foreign language in the world. For example, English is taught by nearly 90 percent of students in the European Union.
Even though English is not defined as an official language of many countries, it is the language used to communicate in aerial and maritime communications according to international treaties. In addition, English is recognized as the official language of the International Olympic Committee.
Another example of how important English is to the world is its use in scientific and other publications throughout internationally. Some journals have shown that 95 percent of scientific articles were written in English, regardless of the author’s primary or native language. In fact, many countries have experienced complete or partial language shift because of the global impact of the English language.
There are several dialects to the English language, emerging from the different regions where the language is spoken. For example, British English, American English, and Australian English all have subtle differences from regional changes to the language.
In addition, these dialects spread to related countries. For example, American English has spread to Canada and islands such as the Philippines because the United States has had significant influence in these regions through various actions over time.
The regional dialects also affect the grammar. The letter “s” is often replaced by “z” in American English, while the “s” is used in this case in British and Australian English for the most part.
The English language is often difficult for non-native speakers to understand but it is becoming necessary because of English’s rising power worldwide.