What are Five Important Numbers for Global Communication and English Speaking? 

In my previous blogs, we were talking about my favorite advice from pros and experts about preparing and delivering a presentation.  Here in this post and the next couple we are going to look at wonderful numbers which give a snapshot of our wonderful world of talking people.

From Time Magazine, July 29, 2013

• 6,800  is the estimated number of languages in use around the world.
• 12.5% is the share of the world’s population that speaks Mandarin Chinese, the most common language.
• 850 is the approximate number of languages in Papua New Guinea, the world’s most polyglot country.

From New America Media, Commentary, Andres T. Tapia, Posted July 04, 2010

• Nearly a billion people around the world speak English, which means that more people speak English as a second language than there are native speakers.
• In Asia, the number of English-users has surpassed 350 million, equal to the number of people who live in countries where English is the dominant language: the United States, Britain and Canada.  More Chinese children now study English – about 100 million—than there are Britons.

“There’s never before been a language that’s been spoken by more people as a second language than a first, “ says David Crystal, whose numerous books include English as a Global Language.

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercise.