Brazil’s official language is Portuguese. In Spain, Spanish is the official language. Other countries, such as the US and UK, don’t have an official first language, although English dominates in politics and everyday verbal communication. With the use of the Internet, the world is globalizing when it comes to communication. That said, the Internet has naturally chosen English as its first language.
Why Has the Internet Picked English as its First Language?
Decades ago, the United States was considered a high-class, open-for-business cultured society. The Trumps, Gates, Clintons, and Rockefellers in the mid-20th to early 21st century created a vision for the States which meant anyone could come and live the “American Dream”. With English being the unofficial first language of the United States, tons of global corporations began addressing each other in English.
One of the astonishing creations of the Internet was the invention of electronic mail, or e-mail. Correspondence before that, or what most would call today snail mail became a thing of the past. Many businesses wanting to expand knew that the United States was the place to do so. The United States, too, knew that expanding globally meant tapping into markets outside of the country.
Once the Internet continued expanding, many websites were run by businesses to sell more products and services. Since the US was the number one place to so at the time, English naturally became the first language many web pages used to advertise. While this is slowly changing, it’s still somewhat the case today.
According to Statistica, “63.7% of all websites use English as their content language. And while English is the best bet if you want to maximize your potential audience online, it is not nearly as universally spoken as one might think.”
How to Adapt to the Internet’s Different Languages
Globalization means having to communicate effectively with distinct cultures. There are a couple of ways you can adapt to reaching a larger audience through the world wide web.
Diversify your content
Offering different language options for your web pages makes your content more understandable for users. Hiring a translator for your website copy is super helpful to reach a wider audience. That way, you make it easier for users around the world to find you.
Having a diverse website also shows that you’re open to conducting business with other countries. After the pandemic, more businesses are open to conducting business overseas. Take advantage and translate your content to as many languages as you can!
Use Google Translate
Conversely, Google translates seamlessly translates web pages in real-time. If you don’t have the means to interpret a webpage, Google translate has over 133 languages to choose from. Undoubtedly, you’ll easily understand most of the internet at lightning speed.
How English Services Helps You Understand the Internet
At English Services, our main focus is to help people connect and help businesses grow. In doing so, we offer corporate language classes that’ll facilitate understanding the internet and help users understand your content.
We offer corporate English classes, professional interpretation, and translation services to help your company grow. Find out more regarding our services here.
