English is the most widely spoken language in the world with roughly 1.5bn speakers globally
by EF Education First, an international education company, Northern Europeans are the most fluent . Middle Easterners are the least proficient .
These results are not comprehensive, however. Nor are they representative. EF’s index is based on the results of a free online test taken by 2.3m volunteers in 100 countries. Only people with an internet connection and time and willingness to take a test are included in the sample, which means the results are biased towards richer countries interested in English. As a result, many African countries do not have enough test-takers—at least 400—to be included in the index.
In Europe, the powerhouse economies fare surprisingly badly: only Germany makes the top tier of “very high proficiency” countries. France is next, while Spain and Italy are persistent laggards. A study by a Spanish research institute confirmed the bad news: 60% of adults say they speak no English at all. The fact that Spanish is a global language in its own right is probably the culprit.
Asia is the region of greatest diversity. Only Singapore makes the top tier, but the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and India are not far behind. China is further back but still in the second tier, a few slots ahead of Japan. Languishing in the bottom slots are a clutch of South-East and Central Asian countries like Cambodia and Kyrgyzstan. This correlates with another factor: EF repeatedly finds that English skills are highly correlated with connections and openness to the rest of the world.
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
And the world's best new cruise ship is ...The editors at Cruise Critic have picked the best ships in ocean, luxury and river cruising for 2019. Their choice for best new ship has a go-kart track and almost 20 restaurants.
Leer más »
Ranked: The World’s 10 Worst Cities To Live (3 Are In The US)A new report reveals the world's best places to live and the worst—and the US doesn't do well.
Leer más »
Issa Rae to Write, Star in 'Perfect Strangers' Film RemakeIssa Rae (IssaRae) will star in, write and produce the English-language remake of Italian comedy-drama, Paolo Genovese’s 'Perfetti Sconosciuti'
Leer más »
Amazon Dots the LandscapeThe cheap Echo Dot smart speaker is a constant holiday hit: Amazon says that it's been the best-selling product on Black Friday weekend for three years running now
Leer más »
Amanda Brooks and Vita Kin’s New Linens Will Turn Any Holiday Table Into a Festive AffairA charming Ukrainian-meets-English-countryside line, complete with placements, coasters, napkins, and even dresses.
Leer más »
Iranian Director Abdolreza Kahani Makes English-Language Debut With Psychological Thriller ‘Isthmus’EXCLUSIVE: Iranian director Abdolreza Kahani (Twenty), whose films have played at Karlovy Vary, Thessaloniki and Sao Paolo film festivals, is making his English-language debut with psychological th…
Leer más »