Compared with native English speakers, more people learn English as a second language. It is the mother tongue of Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, and is widely used in the Caribbean, Africa and South Asia. It is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union and many other world and regional international organizations.

The spread of modern English

By the late18th century, Britain had spread English through its colonial and geopolitical advantages. Business, science and technology, diplomacy, art and formal education all make English the first truly global language. English has also promoted international communication all over the world. England continued to form new colonies, and later these colonies developed their own language and writing norms.

English is spoken in parts of North America, parts of Africa, Oceania and many other areas. After gaining political independence, some newly independent countries with many indigenous languages choose to continue to use English as the official language to avoid the political and other difficulties inherent in treating any indigenous language as another language.