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Sweden has overtaken the Netherlands as having the best non-native English speakers. High proficiency was defined as the ability to carry out complex tasks in English. It is believed that this high proficiency is because of the high standard of language teaching in Sweden, along with subtitled media. In the eight years of testing proficiency in non-native English speaking countries, Sweden has never been below the top five.

Linguistic scientists have now identified the most confusing sayings in the British-English language. Most of these phrases come from historical events and military slang.

To speak or write Black English with any level of fluency requires diligence and, more often than not, a familiarity that is both embodied and acculturated. The language ebbs and flows temporally, but also along lines of class, region, and even national origin (after all, Americans are not the only people-black or otherwise-to speak English). Black English is, like standard American English, a language worthy of both speech and study. It is distinct and recognizable, a code of speech that can function as much as a signal of authenticity or belonging as it does a way to relay words.

Although India has a rich linguistic history with more than 22 different national languages spoken throughout the length and breadth of the country, English has become its most popular language. English seems to be enjoying its youth in India, with the ubiquitous middle class of the country embracing the language as their own. It now serves as an integrating force and a link language which unites the country and provides a beacon of hope to youth.

Learning English as a second language is far from uncommon around the world. Looking more specifically, what is it like learning English as a Chinese first language individual. This paper covers three main topics: 1. The differences between the Chinese and English languages 2. The differences between Chinese and American culture 3. The differences between Chinese and American educational practices When teaching English as a second language, it is important to know the what fits the students particular needs in learning and how your teaching will be most effective. This paper allows teachers to understand more about their Chinese students and their general linguistic and cultural background.

Noted African-American author James Baldwin makes an argument for the legitimacy and dignity of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) as a real and rich language that defines one's identity, that it is not to be dismissed as a mere "dialect."

"Many refer to Hawai'i as the melting pot of cultures, and along with that comes a wide range of languages. A recent U.S. census survey looked at languages spoken here in the islands and for the first time Hawaiian Pidgin English was included on that list." Ugh, bad reporting: surely the US Census Bureau meant Hawai`i Creole English (HCE)? But still, interesting that it's receiving federal validation as a bona fide language...

This article examines the compulsory nature of learning English in Taiwan and the subsequent impacts on Taiwanese society. There is a direct connection made between the teaching of English and the integration of neoliberal ideals like that of choice, competition, and free marketplace. The article acknowledges that countries may adopt compulsory teaching of English for economic and/or political gains, and looks at how neoliberal notions of competition materialize at the local level. For example, in Taiwan, local regions needed to compete with each other in speedy attainment of English to achieve higher national test scores or government funding.

This Reuters inforgraphic succinctly summarizes the evolution and history of the English language, and what makes spelling in English so difficult. To quote the article, "English is the collector and assimilator of the world's words and retains all their color and irregularities."

The BBC is helping English learners understand the news. Each article is in a "mad lib" format where people learn idioms and difficult vocab by matching up the words in a sentence.

With voters' decision to repeal English-only instruction in California, public schools across the state now have more power to operate bilingual and dual-language programs. White, middle-class, English-speaking parents who want their children to learn Spanish are driving the demand for new dual-language programs.The passage of Proposition 58 last week means that public schools are now free of any restrictions on using various forms of bilingual education, most notably for teaching the state's 1.5 million English-language learners, although students are still mandated to become proficient in English.

This article discusses how Nashville, Tennessee voted to not make English the city's official language. Supporters said that by making English the official language, that would exclude certain people from an otherwise welcoming environment.

How technology affects how we write and speak the English language

According to a new study, twenty-five percent of Hawaii's citizens speak a non-English language at home. (For contrast, the national average is 21%.) The number of non-English speakers in Hawaii has risen by 44% over the last thirty years, proving Hawaii's language diversity.

Article comprehensively covers many English terms referring to overconsumption of alcohol, and the origins of those words/phrases.

Seven years ago, President Ts. Elbegdorj shocked Mongolians by announcing that the nation would become bilingual, with English as the second language. Mongolian is a relatively small language, landlocked between two international giants, Russian and Chinese. As Elbegdorj pointed, English would be the definitive tool to open windows on the wider world.

Has an interactive tool that shows languages contributing to English in fifty year increments, beginning in 1150AD to the present.

In 1900, people thought that a mix of French, German, and English would be the language of science, not just one language. However, this article explains how English became the dominant language of science.