The Earth is approximately 40,000km in circumference. It’s crammed with 196 countries and 7.1 billion people. Those people speak around 6500 different languages. Despite these huge numbers, however, the world is small, and it’s getting smaller by the day. The number of people is increasing, but the number of languages spoken is dramatically dropping. Of the languages that remain, only a few are emerging as the leaders. This is why speaking English fluently is so important.
English is the third most widely spoken language in the world, and it’s gaining ground. It’s already counted as an official language of 94 countries. People in every corner of the globe are enrolling in English schools and online classes. But why? The reasons are varied but simple. Globalization of businesses, tourism opportunities, and the world of entertainment are
only a few of them.
Almost everyone has a goal of opening a business or getting that dream job, but for many of those people, the only way this is possible is if they learn English. Any company with a product could sell in their home location, but why leave the rest of the world untapped for their product? With current internet technology and advances in worldwide shipping, the potential
money that could be earned from somewhere else is too tempting. Rightly so, these businesses want to be able to sell their goods anywhere. But what if the company is in Korean and they want to sell in Europe or the Americas? It isn’t likely that the Korean company will hire and pay staff for each European language, but it’s guaranteed that they will want applicants who speak English well, since English has long been a top language of Europe. To be able to get a job at one of these up and coming companies, speaking fluent English is a "must".
Everyone gets excited about vacations, but getaways can seem so daunting when you don’t speak or read the local language. Imagine an Australian going on holiday to China. The tourist could buy a guidebook and attempt to sound out the phrases, hoping the waiter at the restaurant can figure out what they are trying to say, but this could be a disaster. However, what if the restaurant is hoping to cash in on the money that vacationers are ready and willing to spend? A smart restaurant owner will hire staff that speaks the language of the tourists and provide a menu free of terrible translation mistakes. Soon they will be bringing in the hungry crowds (and the cash), and the tourists will have great holiday stories to share.
The United States has the most English speakers in the world. It also happens to be one of the world’s top exporters of movies, TV shows, and music. Few people outside of Germany or Japan know who their top acts are, but nearly everyone has heard of Beyonce and Brad Pitt. American movies are shown in every country, usually with subtitles or dubbed voices
attached. Seeing a movie this way is perfectly fine, but many things like
humor or subtle emotion get lost in the translation. Speaking fluent English means an ability to watch these movies and shows while also getting the entire intended experience. And it’s a lot more meaningful to sing along with a song on the radio if you know what all the words mean.
Speaking English fluently is the key to open many doors of the world, and it’s a chance that more and more people are taking every day.