Consider these facts about the English Language

• English is the language of choice in international commerce and the official language of international diplomacy
• English enjoys official or special status in at least 75 countries, totaling over two billion speakers
• English is spoken as a first language by approximately 375 million people and as a second language by about 375 million. About 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language
• One out of every four people in the world speaks English to some degree of competence
• 80% of the world's electronically stored information is in English
• Of the estimated forty million Internet users, approximately eighty percent communicate in English, expected to decrease to about forty percent as speakers of other languages come online.
   
  (Source: British Council)

Who Needs to Translate into English?

English speakers never should overlook the economic importance of other languages like the main Asian languages and, in particular, Spanish , French and German , the native tongues of almost 800 million people worldwide.

The old cliché is true: Communication is a two-way street. If your business functions in these markets, you should provide correspondence, packaging, and marketing collateral, in the target market's language. You also should translate their materials into English.

At least two different groups of people can benefit from Spanish-to-English translation, French-to-English translation or German-to-English translation :
 

Those requiring translation of contracts , construction bids, employment regulations and the like into English in order to understand and comply with local laws, customs and requirements, and foreign language speakers trying to access English-based markets.

Are There Varying English Dialects?

History, geography, and linguistic borrowing have influenced English to a much greater degree than have other languages. As a result, the written form, spelling, and idioms of English can vary tremendously from one English-speaking country to another. This provides both translation opportunities and challenges for individuals translating other languages into English.

The opportunity is the ability to communicate in a single language with two billion people worldwide. The challenge lies in dealing with so many in idiomatic expression variants.

Can English Speakers Understand One Another's Dialect?

Yes, native English speakers understand each other - especially in writing - regardless of from what country they come. However, they easily discern whether text emanates from a member of their group or from an outsider, especially in less formal language because English spelling, usage, and idiom are peculiar to specific areas or nations.

When procuring services for Spanish-English translation , French-English translation or German-English translation, you must consider both the nature of the project and its intended market. All English speakers readily will understand an instruction manual. Unlike technical writing, effective marketing materials rely on local jargon and cultural influences that reflect the target's reality and experience.

British and American spelling also differs. "Oxford" English, as British English often is called, tends to be more true to its historical linguistic roots. Words such as "honour" and "colour" retain the "u" from the original French root of "honneur" and "couleur". In the United States, the "u" has dropped from these words. Journalists conserving space in newsprint originated the practice.

In Canada, spelling is a hybrid of British tradition and American efficiency. Canadians generally prefer the "u" in "colour", "neighbour", etc. but adopt the American convention of replacing "s" with "z" in words such as "organization".

In British and, to a lesser extent, Canadian usage, words often are spelled according to their grammatical function. For example, "practice" with a "c" is a noun. "Practise" with an "s" is a verb. Similarly, "licence" and "license" follow the same convention. This distinction has disappeared in the U.S. while it begins to blur in Canada.

Some words differ completely, even between close neighbors like Canada and the United States. For instance, a carbonated beverage such as Coca-Cola is called "soda" in most parts of the U.S. and "pop" in Canada. To a Canadian, "soda" means "soda water" or "club soda" (which is "seltzer" to an American) or "baking soda."