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Fig. 3 lowest estimate for # of English speakers is < 300M? What? Current population of the Anglosphere (Australia / Canada / New Zealand / United Kingdom / Un
by PostOnce 14y ago
Fig. 3 lowest estimate for # of English speakers is < 300M? What?
Current population of the Anglosphere (Australia / Canada / New Zealand / United Kingdom / United States) = 435M; I'll eat my hat if <75% of the population of these countries speak English. That's saying nothing of all the other Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Africans, and Latinos that speak English. Like the Dutch don't also speak English!?
What the hell was that estimator smoking?
Hell, the max estimate there (~500M) is probably closer to a reasonable minimum.
- AngryParsley 14y agoThe figures in the article are from 20 years ago. Back then, populations were smaller and many countries were just ramping-up English education for students.
- PostOnce 14y agoI didn't catch that, thanks. Curiosity killed the cat, so: Population of Anglosphere in 1992: 364M... <300M speakers still seems very low even 20 years ago.