1. What is language and which languages are the most widespread?
Language has various definition based on different sources. "Language is a system of communication through speech, a collection of sounds that a group of people understands to have the same meaning”, according to the textbook. “Language is the human ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication, and a language is any specific example of such a system”, according to Wikipedia. The world’s most spoken languages by number of speakers are Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, English, and Arabic in that order. The world’s most widely spoken languages by number of countries are English, French, Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese & Russian in that order.
Language has various definition based on different sources. "Language is a system of communication through speech, a collection of sounds that a group of people understands to have the same meaning”, according to the textbook. “Language is the human ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication, and a language is any specific example of such a system”, according to Wikipedia. The world’s most spoken languages by number of speakers are Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, English, and Arabic in that order. The world’s most widely spoken languages by number of countries are English, French, Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese & Russian in that order.
2. Why are some languages very similar while others are very different?
The variation of languages depends on the language families, language branches, and language groups. Language families are collection of languages related through a common ancestral language. Language branches are collection of languages within a family related through a common ancestral language. Differences are not as significant or as old as between families. Language groups are collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in the relatively recent past and display similar grammar and vocabulary. For example, English is in the family of Indo-European, branch of Germanic, and group of West Germanic. Mandarin is in family of Sino-Tibetan and branch of Sinitic.
The variation of languages depends on the language families, language branches, and language groups. Language families are collection of languages related through a common ancestral language. Language branches are collection of languages within a family related through a common ancestral language. Differences are not as significant or as old as between families. Language groups are collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in the relatively recent past and display similar grammar and vocabulary. For example, English is in the family of Indo-European, branch of Germanic, and group of West Germanic. Mandarin is in family of Sino-Tibetan and branch of Sinitic.
3. How did English develop and spread around the world?
It started with the invasion of three Germanic tribes—the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. They crossed the North Sea when Britain spoke a Celtic language. However, the Celtic speakers moved west and north as invaders came in. In 17th and 18th century, English spread as a result of British colonialism. During 18th and 19th century, British leadership in the Industrial Revolution attributes to the spread of English greatly. In 20th century, English became worldwide as American technology dominated.
http://historialenguainglesa.blogspot.tw/2013/01/the-spread-of-english-across-globe.html
https://www.englishclub.com/english-language-history.htm
It started with the invasion of three Germanic tribes—the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. They crossed the North Sea when Britain spoke a Celtic language. However, the Celtic speakers moved west and north as invaders came in. In 17th and 18th century, English spread as a result of British colonialism. During 18th and 19th century, British leadership in the Industrial Revolution attributes to the spread of English greatly. In 20th century, English became worldwide as American technology dominated.
http://historialenguainglesa.blogspot.tw/2013/01/the-spread-of-english-across-globe.html
https://www.englishclub.com/english-language-history.htm