The English language in Europe, as a native language, is mainly spoken in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Outside of these states, it has a special status in Jersey and Guernsey (two of the three Crown Dependencies), Gibraltar (one of the British Overseas Territories), Malta and Cyprus (two former British colonies). In other parts of Europe, English is spoken mainly by those who have learned it as a second language, but also, to a lesser extent, natively by expatriates from the English-speaking world.
The English language is the official language of Gibraltar and one of the official languages of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Malta, Jersey, Guernsey and the European Union.
According to a survey published in 2006 13% of EU citizens speak English as their native language. Another 38% of EU citizens state that they have sufficient skills in English to have a conversation, so the total reach of English in the EU is 51%.
Read more about English Language In Europe: History of English in England, English As Lingua Franca
Famous quotes containing the words english, language and/or europe:
“... in the nineteen-thirties ... the most casual reader of murder mysteries could infallibly detect the villain, as soon as there entered a character who had recently washed his neck and did not commit mayhem on the English language.”
—Ellen Glasgow (1873–1945)
“Jargon: any technical language we do not understand.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“...I think the Americans are the only people who have good beds. I consider the American bedroom unparalleled for freshness, comfort, and cleanliness. It is worth going all over Europe in order to come home to one’s own bed.”
—M. E. W. Sherwood (1826–1903)