Shropshire Star

Letter: English the global language of choice

One in five of the world's population speaks English. Almost 375 million people speak English as their first language.

Published

Over 365 million people speak English as their second language. An astonishing 750 million more are learning English.

English is the main international language of business, pop music, sport, advertising, academic conferences, travel, airports, air-traffic control, diplomacy, science and technology.

It is estimated that 80 per cent of the information stored in the world's computers is English and almost 85 per cent of internet home pages (information provided by the Encarta World English Dictionary).

When the world wants to communicate, especially if it wants to communicate or do business beyond its own borders, English tends to be the chosen means of communication.

When Britain headed the 53 nation Commonwealth, all business was done in one language, the language that all 53 nations could speak – English, it is the universal choice of language in commerce – unless, of course, you are the European Union.

The 28 member nations of the EU do business in 24 different languages. Britain was banned from speaking English in Brussels for the first five years of membership!

The Official Journal of the European Union is published in 24 different languages. There are1,650 linguists and 550 support staff are employed in the translation department in Brussels. Your EU spends one billion euros on translation every year and you wonder why it is on its knees today?

Get us out!

Bob Wydell, Oswestry

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