How can learning to speak English transform your personal and professional life? As one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, English opens doors to countless opportunities. Whether you’re seeking better job prospects, expanding your social connections, or traveling with ease, mastering English can significantly enhance your life.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many languages exist — over time, new dialects arise while others fade away. What we do know is that English is currently the most widely spoken language in the world, with an estimated 1.5 billion speakers.
The majority of people who speak English have learned it as a second language [1]. Incredibly, there were about four times more English speakers in India than in the United States as of 2021 [2].
What drives people in countries and cultures around the globe to learn English as a second language when there are so many other options to choose from? What do they stand to gain by putting their time and energy into learning English?
Where Is English Spoken?
Today, there are 195 countries in the world [3]. Only about 16 recognize English as the primary language, although it is considered to be the de facto language in an additional 9 countries. A total of 50 countries designate English as their de jure official language, in some cases alongside the native language [2].
Why is English so widely spoken around the world?
English has become the language of international business and diplomacy. It is the common ground that allows people from different nations and cultures to communicate effectively in the course of business and international relations.
For this reason, speaking English is an important skill for many people, especially professionals and those in politics.
Benefits of Learning English as a Professional
Speaking more than one language can be extremely helpful in the business world, particularly if you’re interested in careers that tend to be multinational or if you hope to travel for work.
In some cases, you might be looking for job opportunities in English-speaking countries, either because more opportunities exist there or because you’d like to try living somewhere new.
English is not only widely spoken all over the world but it also serves as the de facto international language of business. While other languages may serve you well in specific professions, English is sure to be useful in a range of fields. Fluency in English has the potential to greatly expand your opportunities.
Increase Your Access to Premier Education
Some of the best colleges and universities in the world are in English-speaking countries.
Maybe you’re interested in attending a sister school in the U.S. for a portion of your college education. Or perhaps you have your sights set on an Ivy League education from Harvard or Yale. You might be considering other world-class institutions, like MIT in the U.S. or Oxford in the UK.
If you’re pursuing a degree in business, medicine, computer science, engineering, law, finance, economics, social sciences, or another competitive field, English can open doors to some of the best educational programs in the world.
Speaking English gives you the greatest chance to excel in your chosen career and make valuable professional connections along the way.
Increase Your Career Opportunities
While communication skills are among the most important soft skills on your resume, proficiency in a foreign language is considered to be a hard skill. Speaking English could be a prerequisite for certain fields or positions.
Whether you receive higher education at an English-speaking university or not, fluency in English can help you when applying and interviewing for jobs as well as advancing within your profession.
Prepare to Live and Work in Another Country
Even if you aren’t from a nation where English is a primary language, speaking English could help you find work with multinational corporations or other interests operating within your country.
However, if your goal is to live abroad and seek employment, particularly in English-speaking countries, gaining fluency in English will help you to acclimate, find work, make friends, and generally immerse yourself fully in the local community and culture.
Boost Your Confidence in the Workplace
The more proficient you are at English, the better chance you have to be heard and understood. This is essential if you want to be taken seriously and be effective in your job.
English can be a difficult second language to learn, but considering the value inherent to speaking it well, it’s worth the effort. When you’re able to communicate clearly with your colleagues and supervisors, you’ll enjoy improved confidence and greater opportunity to excel in your chosen profession.
Other Benefits of Learning English
Language is about communicating, but it’s also about making meaningful connections with others and creating understanding, camaraderie, and a sense of community and inclusion.
Learning another language expands opportunities to connect with other people who speak that language. Because English is spoken more than any other language in the world, you can’t deny the benefit of adding it to your skill set.
Explore New Ways of Thinking
When you start to learn a new language, you not only improve your mental flexibility but also begin to adopt the ideas that fuel a given language. Different cultures have different ways of thinking that reflect shared values and beliefs. Individuals within cultures further distill these beliefs down to form their own personal approach to the world.
When you learn English, you open the doors to new ways of thinking, greater overall comprehension, improved abstract thinking and problem-solving capabilities, and of course, exciting new ways to express yourself.
Enjoy New Travel Opportunities
Whether you learn English for professional purposes or your own personal enjoyment, you’ll find that it can pave the way to exciting travel opportunities. With English speakers in so many countries, especially in urban areas, you’ll find common ground and have an easier time getting by in areas where no one speaks your native language.
Expand Your Access to Media
Although many countries enjoy national film, music, literature, gaming, and other media industries, content published in English tends to spread to a huge number of countries. When you speak English, you’ll have access to media releases that might not be translated into your native language for months or years, if ever.
Learning any new language can improve your life in a variety of ways, but because English stands as the most spoken language in the world, and the most widespread on a global scale, the opportunities for personal and professional advancement are abundant for those who speak English.
References:
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/
[2] https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/english-speaking-countries
[3] https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/