English Around the World
English is spoken in many smaller countries and communities all over the world. Many of the spoken dialects are called pidgin English. They do not have a formal written version and may vary a lot from Standard English.
Forfatter: Knut Inge Skifjeld
The countries with the highest populations of native English speakers are, in descending order:
United States (215 million),
United Kingdom (61 million),
Canada (18.2 million),
Australia (15.5 million),
Ireland (3.8 million),
South Africa (3.7 million)
New Zealand (3.0-3.7 million).
Countries such as Jamaica and Nigeria also have millions of native speakers of dialect continua ranging from an English-based Creole to a more standard version of English. Of those nations where English is spoken as a second language, India has the most such speakers ('Indian English'). Combining native and non-native speakers, India now has more people who speak or understand English than any other country in the world (David Crystle). Following India is the People's Republic of China. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language)
We speack EnglishOpphavsmann: hdur, Flickr
In addition to these nations, English is spoken in many smaller countries and communities all over the world. Many of the spoken dialects are called pidgin English. They do not have a formal written version and may vary a lot from Standard English.
As these pidgin variants over time develop a fixed pattern they may develop their own fixed spelling and grammar. Then they are often called Creole Englishes.Both Creole and pidgin Englishes have emerged as a result of colonial expansion, slavery and international trade - all of which require a basic common language for communication.
Listen to Bill Bryson interview Loreto Todd, Professor at Leeds University, who has specialized in pidgin English:
Opphavsmann: Bill Bryson, Greene & Heaton Ltd, copyrighted
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