Focus On

Did you know that about four out of every five websites are written in English ?

Why's that? Is it because most people speak English?

No, more people speak Chinese than any other language. But English is the main language for business and trading. Airline pilots and air traffic controllers communicate in English too.

Over 40 countries use English as their first or second language.

to find out why.

Click on the dots on the map to find some of the countries that use English, Spanish or French as their first or second language today:

Language Map

Some people have kept their own language, like the Fula in West Africa. They are nomadic , moving their animal herds from place to place according to changes in the seasons. But they cross borders between English-speaking and French-speaking countries. For the Fula, these country borders were never theirs anyway. Instead, the British and French created these borders when they divided up West Africa into British or French colonies.


	The Fula in West Africa ©Simon Scoones/Worldaware

In many countries, people communicate in several languages, depending on who they are talking or writing to. In Singapore, most people can speak English because Singapore used to be a British colony. But Singaporeans have many backgrounds. In Singapore's homes, shops and markets, they communicate in Mandarin Chinese, the official language, or in Malay or Tamil.


	A newspaper seller in Singapore ©Simon Scoones/Worldaware

I can only speak in English. How many languages do you know?

Not all British people are like Harry. Many more languages are spoken in the UK as the country becomes more multicultural. They say that more languages are spoken in London than in any other city in the world.

But not knowing the main language can be frightening. Imagine what it would be like arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker, or a refugee, without understanding a word of English. What problems would you face? Visit Global Eye Primary Summer 2001 to find out more about the reactions of asylum seekers, and refugees when they first arrive in the UK.

As more people speak English, Chinese, Spanish or French, other languages are in danger. Half the world's 6,000 languages could die out in the next hundred years.

to discover how one language was lost.

In Wales, people have fought hard to hold on to the Welsh language. There are even pockets of Welsh speakers that live on the other side of the world in southern Argentina! Why do you think it is important to keep the variety of languages?

You can find out more about what languages people speak, and why many people can only speak one in the UK.

to download a survey which you can carry out on your friends and family. You could do this on your own, or with your classmates.