ReadOasis Step 2

English is a global language. It is the main language in science, business, entertainment, and foreign affairs. There are about 400 million native speakers of English. And maybe one billion people speak it as a second language. English became international mainly through the economic and cultural influence of the UK and the US in the past 200 years.

For learning English, it helps to know a European language. Twenty-nine percent of English words come from old French, as the French ruled England during the Middle Ages. Also, 29% of English words have Latin roots, and Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French come from Latin. About 150,000 English words are in use today. But if you know the top 5,000 English words, you can understand almost all English texts and talks without a dictionary.

Experts agree that languages are equal in expressive power. All languages and grammars can express any complex idea. This is because language comes from our brains, and human brains are basically the same. But knowing English has benefits. You can use it with many people in many places. English is not better than other languages, but it is useful for living, learning, working, and playing in a global society.