The Population of the US is around 330 million of which approximately 85 million people are immigrants. This theme is a mixture of different cultures in America. And people speak many different languages. From a recent survey, it is known that about 350 different languages are spoken throughout the US. In this blog, we will know about the top 10 most widely spoken languages in the US.
Before this, it should be known that language is an important part of any culture and is a way of communication. The mother tongue made a big impact on the native speaker. Thus many business strategists use the local languages to promote their businesses. The same is the case with the US, businessmen target the language that is spoken and understood by many people. This list of languages is widely spoken throughout the country.
1. English
English is mistakenly known to be the official language of the US. But is only the language that is spoken by 239 million people in the country making it the top language of America. All the documentations and office works are in the English language and some of the states of America have also declared it as their official language. Americans also have their own dialect called American English which is a bit different from British English. It is said that approximately two third of English speakers live in America.
2. Spanish
Spanish is the second most spoken language in America and is used by more than 40 million people. Spanish speakers live primarily in California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona, and New Mexico. The states with the most Spanish speakers are California and Texas. In 2008 it was reported that over half of all Hispanics speak well English more than Spanish.
This language has been ranked second for being one of the languages with a high number of speakers in the US. In fact, it is one of the three languages that have been projected to grow at a fast rate until 2060. There are more Hispanics in America than in Spain.
3. Chinese
Chinese is spoken by 4.2 million people, more than any other language. It has a few dialects, with Mandarin being the most spoken. One of its most popular features is that it's read from right to left and unlike in English, there are no spaces between words. It can be traced back to 220 B.C., making it one of the oldest languages still used today.
There are many immigrants in the US from all around the world, in which a huge population of Chinese is also there. They speak their native language and celebrate their own culture and heritage.
4. Tagalog
Tagalog is a language that is often overlooked in the conversation in the media, but it is hugely important. As a matter of fact, Tagalog is one of the most popular languages spoken around the world, with millions of speakers everywhere. It originated in the Philippines and is increasingly used over time. Influenced by English and Spanish, Tagalog is another language popularly used in the US, with almost more than 1 million people.
Tagalog is mostly known to be used in the Philippines as an official language. Many people have migrated from the Philippines to the US over the past century.
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5. Vietnamese
Vietnamese is one of the top 10 most widely spoken languages in America. It was originally an Austroasiatic language and has been heavily influenced by Chinese and French, both of which are also used extensively throughout Vietnam. Vietnamese has many dialects that are sometimes mutually unintelligible. This language is extensively increased in the last few decades having about 1.5 million speakers around the country. One of the major reasons for increasing this language is the migration that took place after the Vietnam war. Many of the families shifted and settled here in the 1980s. These family interactions made the language popular and do not let it die.
6. French
French is a Romance language that originated in France and is spoken by over 230 million people on five continents. It is the official language of 30 countries, most of which are members of the Francophonie. French is a descendant of the Latin language of ancient Rome. With some 6 billion speakers worldwide, French ranks as one of the most spoken languages worldwide. Furthermore, it is considered to be one of the most learned foreign languages in non-Francophone countries with about 7% (or 49 million) people around the world claiming to speak French as their first or second language. The US has about 1.5 million population of French speakers. Schools and other educational institutes also offer to teach the French language at primary and secondary levels.
7. Arabic
Arabic has been spoken for over 1,400 years and is used by more than 300 million people. It's a language that comes from West Asia, so it was initially only used by people living there. However, as of today, Arabic is spoken by people all across the world. It's one of the six official languages of the United Nations, which makes it even more important to know. Arab and its popularity have grown steadily in recent decades here in the United States, with an increase of 20% in these few years.
8. Korean
Korean is spoken by more than one million people living in America. Korean is the official language of both North and South Korea, as well as one of two official languages of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China. It is also spoken by a significant number of speakers of mixed descent in other parts of East Asia and elsewhere. The name Korean derives from Goryeo, a dynasty that ruled most of the Korean peninsula from 918 to 1392.
Korean culture has continued to grow in importance over the last several decades, making itself the eighth most popular language in the United States at this time. It is also a rising language that is studied by many people but there are no prior instructions related to this, still, the language has an increasing demand for its learning.
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9. Russian
Russian is one of the most popular languages taught at home in the US and is spoken by more than 1.5 million people as their primary language. This number doesn’t include immigrants who speak Russian as a secondary language (but primarily speak another language at home), which may make Russian one of the top 10 most widely spoken languages in America.
10. German
German is a West Germanic language that is mostly mutually intelligible with Standard English. It is spoken by more than 100 million people worldwide, mainly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. In these countries, it is a national language. To varying degrees, it also has official status in Italy (region of South Tyrol), Belgium (region of Wallonia), Romania (autonomous region of Transylvania), and Denmark (North Schleswig). It also has co-official status alongside the Chinese in the autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Many other smaller countries speak German as well, such as Chile and Namibia.
Conclusion
As the US is not a place for Americans only. It also gives its nationality to many other immigrants from worldwide. Due to its developed businesses and advanced technologies with a comfortable lifestyle America can be a dream place for everyone to settle in. Many people got their dream place and got settled in the US. But they do not forget their language and culture. They speak their native languages within their homes and also outside of their community. Thus these top 10 languages are mostly spoken in the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top 4 languages spoken in the US?
English, Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalog are the top 4 languages spoken in the US.
What is the most spoken foreign language in the US?
Spanish is the most dominant and widely spoken foreign language in the US after English.
What is the easiest language to learn?
English is a very easy language to learn and can be perfected by practice. It is also important to learn as the language is a way of communication internationally.
What is the most beautiful language in the world?
Arabic is the most attractive language which feels soothing to the ears and also beautiful to speak.