Why is English the most widely spoken language for business and countries?

Answer 1

This is personal opinion, I doubt there's a perfectly objective answer.

I think there are two reasons. First, during the 20th century, we saw the real ascension of international commerce, where business communications and transactions could truly be carried out instantaneously. The largest economic super-power during that century was an English-speaking nation, so people in other countries knew that if they wanted to deal with it, it was best to speak its language.

Second, and probably a significantly lesser factor, is that English, especially American English, is extremely flexible. It is a mash of many different languages, and easily adopts terms from other languages and cultures. This lends it a certain amount of familiarity to everyone that hears it, and its speakers can often recognize some root words in other languages.

Answer 2

Principally because after WWII the US made it its major foreign policy objective to make the world as commercially-integrated as possible. The idea was that countries that were doing business together (and prospering at the same time) would be much less likely to see war as a solution to their political differences.

To this end, US business was encouraged to find and exploit commercial opportunites around the globe. Since Americans speak English (and, often, no other language) and brought powerful cards to the table with them the businessmen of other countries began to see to it that their children studied English instead of French (the language of diplomats), German (the language of science (then)), or other locally-popular foreign languages.

This all followed the fact that the premier commercial country for more than two prior centuries was Great Britain and their great empire had spread English to the far corners of the globe. At that time, however, English tended to be spoken only by the elite of the local peoples in the places the English were ruling or doing business.

Add to this the fact that business is transacted much more efficiently if everyone speaks and understands one language and English becomes the only language that was practical to use. Lucky for English-only speakers!

Answer 3

Because England (centuries ago) had the finances to establish themselves in strategic places.

Answer 4

Language of money my man