English

A language of United Kingdom

ISO 639-3

Population

58,200,000 in United Kingdom (Crystal 2003). Population total all countries: 334,800,758.

Location

Also in American Samoa, Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bhutan, Botswana, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean Netherlands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Hong Kong, Macao, Cook Islands, Curacao, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Language Maps

Cook Islands

Ireland and United Kingdom

Liberia

Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland

El Salvador and Honduras

Language Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Classification

Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

Dialects

Belfast, Birmingham (Brummie, Brummy), Bolton Lancashire, Central Cumberland, Cockney, Cornwall, Craven Yorkshire, Cumberland, Devonshire, Dorset, Durham, East Anglia, East Devonshire, Edinburgh, Geordie, Glaswegian, Lowland Scottish, Newcastle Northumberland, Norfolk, North Lancashire, North Wiltshire, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Radcliffe Lancashire, Scouse, Sheffield Yorkshire, Somerset, South Wales, Sussex, Tyneside Northumberland, West Country, West Yorkshire, Westmorland. Many local English varieties around the world. Lexical similarity: 60% with German, 27% with French, 24% with Russian.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; genitives after noun heads; articles, adjectives, numerals before noun heads; question word initial; word order distinguishes subject, object, indirect objects, given and new information, topic and comment; active and passive; causative; comparative; consonant and vowel clusters; nontonal

Language Use

1,500,000 L2 speakers in the U.K. (Crystal 2003). Over 430,000,000 L2 speakers worldwide.

Language Development

Fully developed. Bible: 1382–2002.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about English

Writing

Braille script. Deseret Alphabet, developed in 1854 with limited usage until 1877. Latin script, primary usage. Shavian (Shaw) script, no longer in use.

Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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American Samoa

Language nameEnglish

Population

2,000 in American Samoa (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

65,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Anguilla

Language nameEnglish

Population

950 in Anguilla (2004). It is difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

View other languages of Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Language nameEnglish

Population

66,000 in Antigua and Barbuda (Crystal 2003). It is difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

2,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

View other languages of Antigua and Barbuda

Aruba

Language nameEnglish

Population

9,000 in Aruba (Crystal 2003).

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

35,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

View other languages of Aruba

Australia

Language nameEnglish

Population

15,600,000 in Australia (2006 census).

Dialects

Aboriginal English, Australian Standard English, Neo-Nyungar (Noogar, Noonga, Noongar).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

3,500,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

Minor regional dialect differences. Neo-Nyungar is the community dialect of the Nyungar people.

View other languages of Australia

Bahamas

Language nameEnglish

Population

49,300 in Bahamas (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in the Bahamas, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Bahamas

Bahrain

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used for most business communication. Many Bahraini children learn English before Arabic [arb] because it is easier to learn (2004).

View other languages of Bahrain

Barbados

Language nameEnglish

Population

13,000 in Barbados (1995).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Barbados, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers. Christian.

View other languages of Barbados

Belize

Language nameEnglish

Population

60,000 in Belize (2006).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

56,000 L2 speakers (1991 census). Education, government, commerce.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Belize, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Belize

Bermuda

Language nameEnglish

Population

63,000 in Bermuda (Crystal 2003).

Dialects

Bermudan English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

Colloquial English may not be a creole but a regional variety of uncreolized English.

View other languages of Bermuda

Bhutan

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Education, government, commerce, media.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

View other languages of Bhutan

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

Language nameEnglish

Population

Bonaire 15,800 (Dutch [nld], Papiamentu [pap] and English), St. Eustatius 3,100 (Dutch and English), Saba 2,000 (Dutch and English).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2010, Provisional Official Languages Law, BWBR0028827, Article 2).

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in the BES, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

Botswana

Language nameEnglish

Population

4,000 in Botswana (2006).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

630,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). International trade, the medium of western influence.

Language Development

Language of instruction from fifth grade. Taught from the beginning of primary school as a required subject. Taught in primary and secondary schools.

View other languages of Botswana

British Indian Ocean Territory

Language nameEnglish

Population

3,500 in British Indian Ocean Territory (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

The indigenous population no longer resides in the islands. Current residents include members of the United States military, a small detachment of British officials, and support staff, mainly of Mauritian and Philippine origin.

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British Virgin Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

2,000 in British Virgin Islands (1998).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in the British Virgin Islands, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Language nameEnglish

Population

10,000 in Brunei (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1984, Constitution, Article 82(2)).

Language Use

134,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Government, education, and by the educated as L1 or L2.

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Cambodia

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Replacing French [fra] as L2, especially in Phnom Penh.

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Cameroon

Language nameEnglish

Location

Mainly South West and North West regions.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1996, Constitution, Article 1(3)).

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Canada

Language nameEnglish

Population

19,400,000 in Canada (2011 census). 820,000 L1 speakers in Quebec (1995 census); plus 1,500,000 in Quebec whose L1 or L2 is English (1995 census).

Dialects

Newfoundland English.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1988, Official Languages Act, Ch. 38, Articles 1, 34).

Language Use

2,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

View other languages of Canada

Cayman Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

20,000 in Cayman Islands (2002).

Dialects

Cayman Islands English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

Local colloquial English seemingly borrowed creole features similar to Jamaica and Central America without undergoing creolization (Holm 1989:479–480).

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Cook Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

680 in Cook Islands (2011 SIL).

Location

Widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1965, Constitution, Article 35).

Language Use

17,000 are L2 speakers (2012 M. Salisbury).

Other Comments

All the residents of Palmerston Island speak a distinctive dialect of English and have close family connections to Penrhyn. The Palmerston residents are descendants of an Englishman with several Cook Islands wives who settled on Palmerston in the 19th century (2012 M. Salisbury).

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Curaçao

Language nameEnglish

Population

4,100 in Curacao (2011 SIL).

Status

5 (Dispersed).

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Dominica

Language nameEnglish

Population

10,000 in Dominica (2004).

Dialects

Dominican English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Dominica, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Dominica

Dominican Republic

Language nameEnglish

Population

8,000 in Dominican Republic (Holm 1989).

Location

Samaná Peninsula, northeastern Dominican Republic.

Dialects

Samaná English.

Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Also use Spanish [spa] or Haitian [hat].

Other Comments

Descendants of ex-USA slaves settled in 1824. Reportedly a settlement of African slaves existed here in the early 1500s. Includes features of creolization and archaic Black English.

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Eritrea

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

Other Comments

Language of higher education and many technical fields.

View other languages of Eritrea

Ethiopia

Language nameEnglish

Population

1,990 in Ethiopia (1994 census).

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Language Use

169,726 L2 users. Language of higher education, many technical fields, and international communication.

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Fiji

Language nameEnglish

Population

6,000 in Fiji (Crystal 2003). An additional 10,300 or 2% of population (1976 census) are part-European, and speak English and Fijian.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2000, Constitution, Article 4(1)), dominant language in commerce, education, government.

Language Use

Also used by many urban Chinese (4,652 in 1976), Rotuman, occasionally by Indians, rarely by Fijians (Geraghty and Pawley 1981). Reportedly a Fijian Pidgin English. Main language of commerce, education, government.

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Gambia

Language nameEnglish

Population

1,000 in Gambia (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

View other languages of Gambia

Ghana

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

1,000,000 L2 speakers (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977).

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Gibraltar

Language nameEnglish

Population

28,000 in Gibraltar (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

2,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

Yanito is spoken by most Gibraltarians among themselves, a variety of English with a strong Spanish influence, with over 500 words coming from Genoese (Ligurian) and Hebrew.

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Grenada

Language nameEnglish

Population

750 in Grenada (2004).

Dialects

Grenadian English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Grenada, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. In such situations, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the acrolect. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers. Post-creole English with French Creole influences (Alleyne 1985).

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Guam

Language nameEnglish

Population

58,000 in Guam (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1974, Guam Code Annotated, Chapter 7, Section 706, amended), dominates in administration, education and media.

Language Use

100,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

United States military and dependents.

View other languages of Guam

Guyana

Language nameEnglish

Dialects

Guyanese English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Guyana, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Guyana

Honduras

Language nameEnglish

Population

31,500 in Honduras (2001). 22,500 Bay Islands English speakers on the north coast.

Location

Bay Islands Department (Guanaja, Roatán, Utila), and large cities along north mainland coast.

Dialects

Bay Islands English.

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Some creole influence.

View other languages of Honduras

Hong Kong S.A.R., China

Language nameEnglish

Population

187,000 in Hong Kong (2006 census), increasing.

Status

1 (National). Statutory provincial working language in Hong Kong SAR (1997, Basic Law, Article 9).

Language Use

2,200,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Positive attitudes.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

View other languages of Hong Kong S.A.R., China

India

Language nameEnglish

Population

350,000 in India (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1950, Constitution, Articles 343 and 348(1)).

Language Use

200,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

Neither British nor American English but a distinct Indian dialect with its own unique vocabulary and style.

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Ireland

Language nameEnglish

Population

3,750,000 in Ireland (Crystal 2003).

Dialects

North Hiberno English, South Hiberno English.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1937, Constitution, Article 8(2)).

Language Use

100,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Isle of Man

Language nameEnglish

Location

Widespread.

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

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Israel

Language nameEnglish

Population

100,000 in Israel (1993).

Alternate Names

Anglit

Status

3 (Wider communication).

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Jamaica

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Jamaica, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. In such situations, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the acrolect. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Jamaica

Kenya

Language nameEnglish

Population

24,300 in Kenya (2006), increasing.

Location

Widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2010, Constitution, Article 7(2)).

Language Use

2,700,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Official language in most transactions. All ages. Positive attitudes. Many also use Kiswahili [swh].

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Kiribati

Language nameEnglish

Population

490 in Kiribati (2000).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language, should official texts conflict in interpretation, English prevails over Kiribati.

Language Use

23,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Lebanon

Language nameEnglish

Population

3,300 in Lebanon (2004).

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Language Use

Used to some extent since American University of Beirut founded in 1866. Many English language publications. Language of instruction in some schools and universities. Not spoken on the street or in Lebanese homes.

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Lesotho

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 7(2)).

Language Use

500,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Liberia

Language nameEnglish

Population

70,000 in Liberia (2006).

Dialects

Liberian Standard English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

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Madagascar

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication).

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Malawi

Language nameEnglish

Population

16,000 in Malawi (1993).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1994, Constitution 51(1), 56(6), 94(2)).

Language Use

540,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Malaysia

Language nameEnglish

Population

380,000 in Malaysia (Crystal 2003), increasing.

Location

Peninsular.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1957, Constitution, Articles 152(2) through 152(5)).

Language Use

7,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Many urbanites use English as L2. Nearly all domains. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Maldives

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

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Malta

Language nameEnglish

Population

13,000 in Malta (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1964, Constitution, Article 5(2)).

Language Use

95,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Marshall Islands

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

60,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Mauritius

Language nameEnglish

Population

2,000 in Mauritius (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Articles 33,46,49), used in education.

Language Use

200,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Courts, road signs.

Language Development

Taught in secondary schools.

View other languages of Mauritius

Micronesia

Language nameEnglish

Population

4,000 in Micronesia (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

60,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Montserrat

Language nameEnglish

Population

100 in Montserrat (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Montserrat, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. In such situations, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the acrolect. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Montserrat

Namibia

Language nameEnglish

Population

10,200 in Namibia (2006).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1990, Constitution, Article 3(1)).

Language Use

300,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Nauru

Language nameEnglish

Population

710 in Nauru (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

10,700 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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New Zealand

Language nameEnglish

Population

3,210,000 in New Zealand (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

150,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Nigeria

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

60,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Government and education.

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Niue

Language nameEnglish

Population

78 in Niue (2004).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language.

Language Use

2,080 L2 speakers.

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Norfolk Island

Language nameEnglish

Population

1,680 in Norfolk Island (1980 census).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

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Northern Mariana Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

6,820 in Northern Mariana Islands (2000 census).

Location

Saipan, Tinian, Rota.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1978, Constitution, Article 22(3)), co-official with Chamorro [cha], Carolinian [cal].

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Neutral to positive attitudes.

Language Development

Many students from Asia, particularly Korea, come to Saipan specifically to study English. Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Oman

Language nameEnglish

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Language Use

All official road signs and virtually all shop signs are bilingual Standard Arabic [arb] and English, though the number of L1 English speakers is relatively low.

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Pakistan

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1973, Constitution, Article 251(2)).

Language Use

17,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Palau

Language nameEnglish

Population

500 in Palau (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)).

Language Use

18,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Papua New Guinea

Language nameEnglish

Population

150,000 in Papua New Guinea (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

3,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Language Development

Taught in primary schools.

View other languages of Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Language nameEnglish

Population

20,000 in Philippines (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1987, Constitution, Article 14(7)).

Language Use

40,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Pitcairn

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

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Puerto Rico

Language nameEnglish

Population

100,000 in Puerto Rico (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1993, Official Languages Act No. 1, Article 1).

Language Use

1,840,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Rwanda

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (2003, Constitution, Article 5).

Language Use

20,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

May be more users of English [eng] than French [fra].

View other languages of Rwanda

Saint Barthélemy

Language nameEnglish

Population

100 in Saint Barthélemy (2011 SIL).

Location

Port town of Gustavia.

Dialects

Gustavia English.

Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Few youth still speak it.

Other Comments

English with some creole influence.

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Saint Kitts and Nevis

Language nameEnglish

Population

200 in Saint Kitts and Nevis (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in St. Kitts and Nevis, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Language nameEnglish

Population

1,600 in Saint Lucia (2004).

Dialects

Saint Lucian English.

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

An emerging English vernacular on Saint Lucia in a rural area is significantly restructured, heavily French Creole [acf] influenced, English lexicon (1998 P. Garrett).

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Saint Martin (French part)

Language nameEnglish

Population

5,000 in Saint Martin (2011 SIL).

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Saint Martin, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

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Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Language nameEnglish

Population

190 in Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1967 census).

Status

3 (Wider communication).

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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Language nameEnglish

Population

400 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

Language nameEnglish

Population

200 in Samoa (2004).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1960, Constitution, Article 54).

Language Use

93,000 L2 speakers.

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Seychelles

Language nameEnglish

Population

3,000 in Seychelles (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 4(1)).

Language Use

30,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

Principal language of the schools.

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Sierra Leone

Language nameEnglish

Population

500,000 in Sierra Leone (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

4,400,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Administration, law, education, commerce.

View other languages of Sierra Leone

Singapore

Language nameEnglish

Population

665,000 in Singapore (2000 census).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)).

Language Use

L2 users (literate in English) are 71% of population (2000 census). Home, office, church, public institutions.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

Language nameEnglish

Population

5,000 in Sint Maarten (2011 SIL).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2010, Constitution, Article 1(2)).

Other Comments

When Creole languages exist alongside their lexifier language, as in Sint Maarten, a continuum forms of variations between the Creole and the lexifier language. It is therefore difficult to substantiate the number of Creole speakers and English speakers.

View other languages of Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

Solomon Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

10,000 in Solomon Islands (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

165,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Somalia

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (2004, Transitional Federal Charter, Article 7(2)).

Language Use

Mostly north.

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South Africa

Language nameEnglish

Population

3,670,000 in South Africa (2006 census).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1996, Constitution, Article 6(1)).

Language Use

11,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Many second-generation people from India, Portugal, Germany, and Greece speak English as L1.

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South Sudan

Language nameEnglish

Population

Almost no L1 speakers.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (2011, Transitional Constitution, Article 6(2)).

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Sri Lanka

Language nameEnglish

Population

10,000 in Sri Lanka (Crystal 2003).

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language, used in government.

Language Use

1,900,000 L2 speakers. Government.

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Sudan

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (2005, Interim Constitution Article 8(3)).

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Swaziland

Language nameEnglish

Population

7,500 in Swaziland (2006).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 3(2)).

Language Use

50,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

Other Comments

Taught in all government and private schools.

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Tanzania

Language nameEnglish

Alternate Names

Kiingereza

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

4,000,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Used by some Asian residents as L1.

Language Development

Taught in primary schools. Taught in secondary schools; instruction medium in secondary schools and universities.

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Tokelau

Language nameEnglish

Population

40 in Tokelau (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Tonga

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language, considered co-official with Tongan [ton].

Language Use

30,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Trinidad and Tobago

Language nameEnglish

Population

1,300,000 in Trinidad and Tobago (2011 J. Ferreira).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language, standard English in writing, education; non-standard English in informal domains, among distinct ethnic groups.

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Turks and Caicos Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

920 in Turks and Caicos Islands (2004).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

Shifting to a standard variety of Caribbean English.

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Tuvalu

Language nameEnglish

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

800 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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U.S. Virgin Islands

Language nameEnglish

Population

98,000 in U.S. Virgin Islands (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

15,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Uganda

Language nameEnglish

Population

Most learn a local language before English.

Location

Widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 6(1)).

Language Use

2,500,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). All domains. All ages (as L2).

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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United Arab Emirates

Language nameEnglish

Population

100 in United Arab Emirates.

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 for communication among non-Arabic speakers.

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United States

Language nameEnglish

Population

225,000,000 in United States (2010 census). Many regional and social dialects.

Dialects

African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

25,600,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003).

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Vanuatu

Language nameEnglish

Population

1,900 in Vanuatu (1995).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1980, Constitution, Art 3(1)).

Language Use

L1 speakers are from the United Kingdom.

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Zambia

Language nameEnglish

Population

110,000 in Zambia (Crystal 2003).

Location

Widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1991, Constitution, Article 1(3)).

Language Use

1,800,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Spoken as L1 mostly by Europeans. A small minority of Zambian Africans speak it as a L1. Language of Parliament. Home, education, business. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

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Zimbabwe

Language nameEnglish

Population

250,000 in Zimbabwe (Crystal 2003).

Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Language Use

5,300,000 L2 speakers (Crystal 2003). Most Europeans and an increasing number of Africans. Used in all or most education.

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English

A language of United Kingdom

Also spoken in: