So the European Day of Languages has got off to a flier!  We at Answer English have been doing our bit out on the streets of London.  To celebrate the big day we have been investigating what languages mean to people.  Around Marble Arch we have asked ‘what languages people speak besides their native language’, whether they feel that ‘learning other languages is important’ and if so ‘why and for what reason do they speak other tongues’. 

Unfortunately knowledge of the day has been poor, at best.  Of 20 people we asked this morning only one had heard that today was the European Day of Languages and we have doubts given some of the answers whether he fully understood the question!  Laura, our Dutch colleague, is going out this afternoon with the video camera and tomorrow we will publish the results and put some footage up on YouTube for you to enjoy.

English, so far, is undoubtedly the most important language for the people we spoke to in London.  For business, for study or for pleasure it was head and shoulders above other European languages.  What was really interesting was the percentage of the world’s population, the public thought, spoke English as a native language.  Most figures were around 50%, although one chap, who claimed he was a ‘top Business man’, thought 85% did!  Many of the people asked weren’t originally from the UK, perhaps showing that it is not just the Brits who believe that the rest of the world should speak English!  The true figure for native speakers of English is just 6%.

Tomorrow we will return with more definitive answers.  For the meantime, enjoy the rest of the day!