igned, making English the first computer recognized character system. The American Code for Info Exchange is the only code which can be used in every computer in the world without distortion. Eighty percent of internet content is in English, but 44% of online users speak another language at home. English will probably remain the most commonly used language on the net for the foreseeable future, for it is the world's most commonly understood one (Fishman 4). English is the first language in 427 countries. English is the second language in 350 countries. English is the most taught foreign language in 100 countries. English has an official status in 70 countries. "English is taking over the world", said University of Alaska language expert Michael Kraus (Ferrell and Hotz 2).Forty percent of the world's gross domestic product comes from predominantly English speaking countries. English competency is becoming a prerequisite for promotions and appointments in more and more countries. In the European Commission, although French is used more often than English, English is preferred among younger officials. Many believe that English will soon replace French as the language of the diplomats. English is the primary language for many of the European Unions businesses, EU newsletters, European Central Bank, and most other economic communications (Fishman 8)The United States seems to be a very dominate power in the world, yet it has done little to make it's citizens multilingual. Although the country was founded on principals which protected the rights of it's citizens, and the founding fathers for this reason chose not to declare an official language, very few Americans believe that people have the right to speak whichever Radford 3language they choose. Many small areas will seek to foster their own tongue, but l...
