English language
The English language is a West Germanic language, originating from England. It is the third most common "first" language (native speakers), with around 402 million people in 2002. English has lingua franca status, due to the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the United Kingdom and later the United States. Where possible, virtually all students worldwide are required to learn some English, and knowledge of English is virtually a prerequisite for working in many fields and occupations. Higher academic institutions, for example, require a working command of English.
| English | |
|---|---|
| Spoken in: | United Kingdom, United States and 103 other countries |
| First language speakers: | 402 million |
| Second language speakers | possibly 350 - 1,000 million |
| Ranking: | 3 |
| Genetic classification: | Indo-European Germanic West English |
| Official status | |
| Official language of: | see below |
| Regulated by: | None, although the OED is important |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-1: | en |
| ISO 639-2: | eng |
| SIL: | ENG |