Countries where English is the official language. English-speaking countries and the vicissitudes of their destinies

Today English language is not just a mandatory requirement for obtaining a prestigious job or education abroad. In terms of its prevalence, this language occupies only 2nd place, giving way to the Mandarin dialect of Chinese. In total, about 430 million people around the world speak English. to the globe. But, besides Great Britain, this language is the official language for several other countries.

Why do they speak English in Australia?

But in the eastern hemisphere in English, they include not only European states. To understand why this happened, you need to know something about the history of Oz. Australia was discovered by the navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606. The land where his ship moored was called “New Holland” by a native of the Netherlands.

They were immediately declared the possession of the Netherlands. By the beginning of the second half of the 17th century. As a result of the discoveries of many navigators, the contours of the new continent were already quite clearly drawn. However, Australia was never settled either by the Dutch or by representatives of other nations. This was the case until the moment when James Cook's ship moored to its shores for the first time. It bore the proud name “Endeavor”, which translated means “attempt, diligence.” The first British colony in Australia was founded on January 26, 1788.

How many languages ​​did Australia have before?

The first settlers of the Australian coast were convicts exiled here. The language they spoke was a dialect of English. It was filled with various jargons that had their origins in England, Scotland and Ireland. However, many of these words never became part of the official English language.

Those who are interested in which countries speak English are unlikely to suspect how much competition it had in Australia from other dialects. It is believed that at the time of the landing of the first convicts in Australia, there were about 250 languages ​​and 600 dialects. In the first century, about 80 new words entered the English language from here. Some of them belonged to the Aboriginal language, for example, boomerang (boomerang), Dingo (wild dingo dog), Koala (koala).

But Australia never acquired the status of a country with an official English language. Australia has no official language, but the most common dialect is called "strine". The written rules of the English language in Australia correspond to those adopted in its British version.

English in Canada

In which countries besides Australia is English spoken? Another country that has always attracted foreigners as a place to learn English is Canada. Not long ago the expression “Canadian English” appeared. Initially North America was inhabited by aborigines - Eskimos and Indians. In 1622, when the English colony was first founded here, English speech was heard here for the first time.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the English language became increasingly widespread here. More and more colonies are appearing in Canada and trading companies. The oldest of them, Hudson's Bay Company, still exists today. Its main office is located in Toronto, and it was founded back in 1670.

Why is Canadian English the easiest to learn?

Canadian English combines features of both British and American varieties. Many people are interested in which countries speak English in order to attend specialized linguistic courses. In Canada, English is considered to be least influenced by other languages. Many linguistic experts believe that Canada is the easiest place to learn English. After all, the local version of English is most easily understood by foreigners by ear. Canadian pronunciation is very different from American, and especially South American. Indeed, in American pronunciation, the endings of words are, as it were, “swallowed”; speech is filled with exaggerated sounds “r” and “a”, which makes it very difficult to understand the interlocutor.

Languages ​​of India

For those wondering which countries speak English, the list continues with India. It is the second most populous country and has 845 languages ​​and dialects. Hindi and English are recognized as the official languages. The English language came to India as a result of the colonization of the lands by the British conquerors. India was a British colony for almost 200 years - until 1947.

Why did English become the official language in India?

After independence, it was decided to include English in the school curriculum. This was necessary so that there would be no communication problems between individual regions and states. In commercial educational institutions, English is not just one of the disciplines - many other subjects are taught in it.

Many people are interested in which countries speak English for the purpose of moving or just traveling. Therefore, for those who would like to visit India, knowledge of Hindi will not be necessary. But at the same time, this will be an advantage - after all, not everyone here knows English perfectly. Indians do not expect visitors to their country to communicate with them in any language. specific language- be it Hindi, English, or one of the dialects. In this they differ, for example, from the French, who expect their interlocutors to communicate only in French.

Other countries where English is the official language

Apart from the above, which countries speak English? The list includes many other countries besides Australia, India and Canada. These are the Bahamas, Botswana, Gambia, India, New Zealand, Singapore, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Cameroon, Philippines, South Africa and many others. Despite the prevalence of English, researchers do not believe that it can displace native languages ​​in these countries. An example of which countries speak English without losing their position is the Philippines. For a hundred years, English has not been able to displace the native Filipino language here, despite widespread teaching and emigration of local residents.

Why are you learning English? For work, education, travel... It all comes down to communication, right? People who speak English feel confident not only at home, but also abroad. Especially in those countries where English is used not by tourists, but by the local population. Moreover, the English-speaking countries of the world have much in common not only in the language of communication, but also in culture as a whole. We recently discussed.

At the same time, English-speaking countries often have a second or even a third official language. Tourists don’t need to know it, but imagine how much it will expand the boundaries of perception! After all, this is why we go on trips. Therefore, let's find out which countries use English as the main language, and what the Anglosphere is.

The Anglosphere as the sum of the English-speaking countries of the world

The term “Anglosphere” is still young - it appeared in 1995 thanks to the wit of the writer Neal Stephenson. In his fantasy novel The Diamond Age: or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, London is the cultural center of the English-speaking world. He wrote about English-speaking countries in English and had in mind a purely cultural component without any political overtones.

But we understand that in real world such political and social aspects such as, for example, the borders of states, the size of their population, official symbols, etc. Therefore, let's remember which countries are officially English-speaking, that is, English remains the main thing for them state language:

India (pop. 1,129,866,154)

USA (population 300,007,997)

Pakistan (pop. 162,419,946)

Nigeria (pop. 128,771,988)

Philippines (pop. 87,857,473)

United Kingdom (population 60,441,457)

South Africa(population 44,344,136)

Tanzania (pop. 38,860,170)

Sudan (pop. 36,992,490)

1. Kenya (pop. 33,829,590)
2. Canada (population 32,300,000)
3. Uganda (pop. 27,269,482)
4. Ghana (pop. 25,199,609)
5. Australia (pop. 23,130,931)
6. Cameroon (pop. 16,380,005)
7. Zimbabwe (pop. 12,746,990)
8. Sierra Leone (pop. 6,017,643)
9. Papua New Guinea (pop. 5,545,268)
10. Singapore (pop. 4,425,720)
11. Ireland (pop. 4,130,700)
12. New Zealand (pop. 4,108,561)
13. Jamaica (pop. 2,731,832)
14. Fiji (pop. 893,354)
15. Seychelles (pop. 81,188)
16. Marshall Islands (pop. 59,071).

This list does not contain the names of all, but the largest and/or most interesting for travelers countries in which English is the official language. However, be careful when using the term “official language.” Because each state, despite belonging to the imaginary “Anglosphere,” manages things in its own way. For example, the vast majority of Australians speak English, including government agencies that use it for work, but Australia simply does not have an official language.

But India, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and the Philippines, which have large and multinational populations, consider English the official language, but not the only one - other official languages ​​are used along with it.

Other countries where English is spoken

The map of the Anglosphere is motley and diverse. It is impossible to unite all English-speaking countries with common bridges and/or roads; they are too scattered around the world. But you can trace the spread of the English language around the planet. It originated in Great Britain, and its policies in the 18th and 19th centuries contributed to the spread of the English language throughout the world. Many of the countries where English is the official language are former British colonies. And even today not all of them have become sovereign states. Here are the non-sovereign English-speaking countries of the world:

Hong Kong (pop. 6,898,686)

Puerto Rico (pop. 3,912,054)

1. Guam (pop. 108,708)
2. US Virgin Islands (pop. 108,708)
3. Jersey (pop. 88,200)
4. Bermuda (pop. 65,365)
5. Cayman Islands (pop. 44,270)
6. Gibraltar (pop. 27,884)
7. British Virgin Islands (pop. 22,643)
8. Falkland Islands (pop. 2,969)

These territories, and even British territory in the Indian Ocean, with a population of 2,800 people, are not sovereign states. Their residents speak predominantly English. Simply put, English-speaking people are called Anglophones (from the Greek “anglos” - English and “phonos” - sound). This collective term conventionally unites the entire English-speaking population of the Earth. And this, for a moment, is 510 million people. Moreover, only 380 million have English as their native language, and another 130 million speak English fluently, but it is a second language for them, that is, they have learned it. Studying English in courses and/or on our own, we strive to join them, right? :)

Symbols of English-speaking countries

Each country where English is the official language has its own traditions and symbols. For example, there are floristic (plants), animalistic (animal) symbols of English-speaking countries. They can overlap with each other or be completely different, such as, for example, the symbol of Ireland is the clover and the symbol of Britain is the rose. But often one can easily trace the commonality or continuity of the flags of English-speaking countries.

Do you remember in which countries certain animals are revered? Here are some tips:

Learn English, explore English-speaking countries, and make English-speaking friends for a truly in-depth cultural experience.

English is international language. One and a half billion people around the world speak this language. It is native to 400-500 million people in 12 countries, and over a billion use English as a second language. Currently, among the most widely spoken languages ​​in the world, English ranks 3rd or 4th (tied with Spanish) as a native language, and 2nd in total number of speakers.

English is the language of business and politics. It is one of the working languages ​​of the United Nations. World information technologies also based on English. More than 90% of all information in the world is also stored in English. This language is defined as the main language of the Internet. Television and radio broadcasting largest companies world (CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC, CBC), covering an audience of 500 million people, also performed in English. More than 70% of scientific publications are published in English. They sing and film in this language.

It is difficult to imagine that the English language has gained such popularity and prevalence in just a short period of time. Being the most taught language in the world, English every day conquers more and more people who, for one reason or another, begin to study it.

Remembering countries that speak English

English is spoken all over the world, but there are English speaking countries, in which it is recognized as official. Let's name some of them: Australia, Bahamas, Botswana, Gambia, India, Nigeria, Ireland, Cameroon, Canada, Kenya, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Pakistan, Guinea, Singapore, USA, Fiji, Philippines, South Africa, Malta, etc. We do not name England (or Great Britain) as the native country of English. This is a partial list of English speaking countries. There are also states in which this language, although not recognized as official, is spoken by the majority of the population.

Where, who and how speaks English.

Countries with a predominant world language.

English has long been the main world language, especially for business communication(as in the UN and EU). It is widely used in at least 10 countries, reflecting the British cultural heritage. Geographically it is mainly North Atlantic and coastal Indian Ocean. It is the native language of half a billion earthlings (3rd or 4th in the world, along with Spanish) and the second language of one and a half billion. In terms of the number of speakers, English is second only to Chinese. Among young people, English is almost universally accepted as an important academic, employment and immigration advantage.

State English

English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland(Great Britain) as historically native. Celtic speech is preserved only among the rural population of mountainous Wales (Welsh) and insular Scotland (Scottish).

It acts as a colonial state in the United States of America (formally in 31 US states), Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia (Australia), New Zealand, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Guyana and many Central American island mini-states as members of the British Commonwealth.

The Canadian province of Quebec is bilingual - local Francophones formally recognize English. The Aborigines of inland Australia retain their native speech. Middle American Creole English is distinct from Spanish, French influence and a strong African accent.

Official English

The English colonial legacy is strongly felt in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. English is 1 of 2-3 official languages India (along with Hindi), Pakistan, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Maldives, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon (along with French), Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa(along with Dutch and Zulu), Belize, Malta (along with Maltese) and Ireland (along with Gaelic). English there (except for the last 2 countries) is a non-native language, although it is taught in depth.

Indo-English is one of the largest languages ​​in the world in terms of number of speakers. It is divided into dialects, the most important of which are:

• Hinglish (dialect of Hindi speakers)
• Punjabi English
• Assamese English
• Tamil English

Liberia is an artificial state of freed black US slaves who moved to West Africa for nostalgic reasons.

English in Ireland and Malta is a second native language along with the local one. Irish authorities promote Gaelic as a return to Celtic roots. In fact, but not formally, it is the same in Cyprus as another former Euro-colony of Great Britain. These 3 countries specialize in literary English courses, offering reasonable prices and a cultural experience.

English Joke

“Oh, have you heard? Mrs. Blount died to-day while trying on a new dress."

“How sad! What was it trimmed with?”