CHAPTER 5 LANGUAGE Where are English-Language Speakers Distributed? Key Issue #1 Where Are English Language Speakers Distributed? Global distribution of language results from 2 geographic processes-interaction and isolation Origin and diffusion of English English is spoken by appx ? billion people as a first language & 2 billion people live in a country where English is an official language English colonies Origins of English German invasions Norman invasions English-Speaking Countries Figure 5-2 Fig. 5-1: English is the official language in 42 countries, including some in which it is not the most widely spoken language. It is also used and understood in many others. Invasions of England 5th?11th centuries