home milestones sources gallery word parts word parts comparisons About 340 million people around the world now speak English as a first language. Millions more speak it as a second language. English is often used as a means of communication among people who do not share a first language or who live in a multilingual country such as India.

English continues to add new words and meanings at a rapid rate, especially in--

  • science and technology (cyberspace, mouse, genome)
  • popular culture (rap, compact disc, boomer)
  • business and politics (dot.com, e-mail, green)

    Today British English is no longer the standard. Australian, Indian, Jamaican, and American English all have distinct characters of their own. In some parts of Africa and the Caribbean, local variations of English are almost separate languages.

    The tapestry of English continues to add new threads and colors. The fascinating story goes on!