How to Learn Any Language 45

How to Learn Any Language 45

The Principal Languages  of the World

Source: Sidney S. Culbert, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. 98195
Total number of speakers (native plus nonnative) of languages spoken by at least one million persons (midyear 1989)

Language                                                                                                          Millions
Achinese (N. Sumatra, Indonesia) ………………………………………….. 3
Afrikaans (South Africa) …………………………………………………… 10
Akan (or Twi-Fante) (Ghana) ……………………………………………… 7
Albanian (Albania; Yugoslavia) ……………………………………………. 5
Amharic (Ethiopia) …………………………………………………………. 17
Arabic ………………………………………………………………………. 197
Armenian (USSR) …………………………………………………………… 5
Assamese (Assam, India; Bangladesh) ……………………………………… 22
Aymara (Bolivia; Peru) ……………………………………………………… 2
Azerbaijani (Iran; USSR) …………………………………………………… 14
Balinese (Indonesia) ………………………………………………………… 3
Baluchi (Bakuchistan, Pakistan) ……………………………………………. 4
Bashkir (USSR) …………………………………………………………….. 1
Batak Toda (including Anakola) (Indonesia) (see also karo-Dain) ………….. 4
Baule (Cote d’Ivoire) ……………………………………………………….. 2
Beja (Kassala, Sudan; Ethiopia) ……………………………………………. 1
Bemba (Zambia) ……………………………………………………………. 2
Bengali1/Berber2 (Bengal, India; Bangladesh) ……………………………… 184
Beti (Cameroon; Gabon; Eq. Guinea) ………………………………………. 2
Bhili (India) …………………………………………………………………. 3
Bikol (SE Luzon, Philippines) ………………………………………………. 4
Brahui (Pakistan; Afghanistan; Iran) ………………………………………… 1
Bugis (Indonesia; Malaysia) …………………………………………………. 4
Bulgarian (Bulgaria) ………………………………………………………… 9
Burmese (Burma) ……………………………………………………………. 30
Buyi (S Guizhou, S China) …………………………………………………… 2
Byelorussian (USSR) ………………………………………………………… 10
Cantonese (or Yue) (China; Hong Kong) …………………………………….. 63
Catalan (NE Spain; S France; Andorra) ……………………………………… 9
Cebuano (Bohol Sea area, Philippines) ………………………………………. 12
Chagga (Kilimanjaro area, Tanzania) ………………………………………… 1
Chiga (Ankole, Uganda) ……………………………………………………… 1
Chinese3
Chuvash (USSR) ……………………………………………………………… 2
Czech (Czechoslovakia) ………………………………………………………. 12
Danish (Denmark) …………………………………………………………….. 5
Dimli (EC Turkey) ……………………………………………………………. 1
Dogri (Jammu-Kashmir, C and E India) ………………………………………. 1
Dong (Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi, China) …………………………………….. 2
Dutch-Flemish (Netherlands; Belgium) ……………………………………….. 21
Dyerma (SW Niger) …………………………………………………………… 2
Edo (Bendel, S Nigeria) ……………………………………………………….. 1
Efik (incl. Ibido) (SE Nigeria; W Cameroon) …………………………………. 6
English ………………………………………………………………………… 443
Esperanto ……………………………………………………………………… 2
Estonian (Estonia) …………………………………………………………….. 1
Ewe (SE Ghana; S Togo) ……………………………………………………… 3
Fang-Bulu (Dialects of Beti, q.v.)
Farsi (Iranian form of Persian, q.v.)
Finnish (Finland; Sweden) …………………………………………………….. 6
Flemish (see Dutch-Flemish)
Fon (SC Benin; S Togo) ………………………………………………………. 1
French (France, Switzerland) …………………………………………………. 121
Fula (or Peulh) (Cameroon; Nigeria) …………………………………………. 13
Fulakunda (Senegambia; Guinea Bissau) …………………………………….. 2
Futa Jalon (NW Guinea; Sierra Leone) ……………………………………….. 3
Galician (Galicia, NW Spain) …………………………………………………. 3
Galla (see Oromo)
Ganda (or Luganda) (S Uganda) ………………………………………………. 3
Georgian (USSR) ……………………………………………………………… 4
German (Germany; Austria; Switzerland) …………………………………….. 118
Gilaki (Gilan, NW Iran) ……………………………………………………….. 2
Gogo (Riff Valley, Tanzania) ………………………………………………….. 1
Gondi (Central India) ………………………………………………………….. 2
Greek (Greece) ………………………………………………………………… 12
Guarani (Paraguay) ……………………………………………………………. 4
Gujarati (W and C India; S Pakistan) ………………………………………….. 38
Gusii (Kisii District, Nyanza, Kenya) ………………………………………….. 2
Hadiyya (Arusi, Ethiopia) ……………………………………………………… 2
Hakka (or Kejia) (SE China) …………………………………………………… 32
Hani (S China) …………………………………………………………………. 1
Hausa (N Nigeria; Niger; Cameroon) ………………………………………….. 34
Haya (Kagera, NW Tanzania) …………………………………………………. 1
Henrew (Israel) …………………………………………………………………. 4
Hindi4 …………………………………………………………………………… 352
Ho (Buhar and Orissa states, India) …………………………………………….. 1
Hungarian (or Magyar) (Hungary) ……………………………………………… 14
Iban (Kalimantan, Indonesia; Malaysia) ……………………………………….. 1
Ibidio (see Efik)
Igbo (or Ibo) (Lower Niger R., Nigeria) ………………………………………… 16
Ijaw (Niger River Delta, Nigeria) ………………………………………………. 2
Ilocano (NW Luzon, Philippines) ……………………………………………….. 7
Indonesian (see Malay-Indonesian)
Italian (Italy) ……………………………………………………………………. 63
Japanese (Japan) ………………………………………………………………… 125
Javanese (Java, Indonesia) ……………………………………………………… 58
Kabyle (W Kabylia, N Algeria) ………………………………………………… 3
Kamba (E Kenya) ………………………………………………………………. 3
Kannada1 (S India) ……………………………………………………………… 3
Kanuri (Nigeria; Niger; Chad; Cameroon) ……………………………………… 4
Karen (see Sgaw)
Karo-Dairi (N Sumatra, Indonesia) …………………………………………….. 2
Kashmiri1 (N India; NE Pakistan) ……………………………………………… 4
Kazakh (USSR) ……………………………………………………………….. 8
Kenuzi-Dongola (S Egypt; Sudan) ……………………………………………. 1
Khalka (see Mongolian)
Khmer (Kampuchea; Vietnam; Thailand) ……………………………………… 7
Khmer, Northern (Thailand) …………………………………………………… 1
Kikuyu (or Gekoyo) (W and C Kenya) ……………………………………….. 5
Kirghiz (USSR) ……………………………………………………………….. 2
Kituba (Bas-Zaire, Bandundu, Zaire) …………………………………………. 4
Kongo (W Zaire; S Congo; NW Angola) ……………………………………… 3
Konkani (Maharaa and SW India) ………………………………………… 4
Korean (North and South Korea; China; Japan) ………………………………. 71
Kurdish (south-west of Caspian Sea) …………………………………………. 9
Kurukh (or Oraon) (C and E India) …………………………………………… 2
Lao5 (Laos) …………………………………………………………………… 4
Lampung (Sumatra, Indonesia) ………………………………………………. 1
Latvian (Latvia) ………………………………………………………………. 2
Lingala (incl. Bangala) (Zaire) ……………………………………………….. 6
Lithuanian (Lithuania) ……………………………………………………….. 2
Luba-Lulua (or Chiluba) (Kasai, Zaire) ………………………………………. 6
Luba-Shaba (Shaba, Zaire) …………………………………………………… 1
Lubu (E Sumatra, Indonesia) …………………………………………………. 1
Luhya (W Kenya) …………………………………………………………….. 3
Luo (Kenya; Nyanza, Tanzania) ……………………………………………… 3
Luri (SW Iran; Iraq) ………………………………………………………….. 3
Lwena (E Angola; W Zambia) ……………………………………………….. 1
Macedonian (Macedonia, Yugoslavia) ……………………………………….. 2
Madurese (Madura, Indonesia) ……………………………………………….. 10
Magindanaon (Moro Gulf, S Philippines) …………………………………….. 1
Makassar (S Sulawesi, Indonesia) …………………………………………….. 2
Makua (S Tanzania; N Mozambique) ………………………………………… 3
Malagasy (Madagascar) ………………………………………………………. 11
Malay-Indonesian …………………………………………………………….. 142
Malay, Pattani (SE peninsular Thailand) ……………………………………… 1
Malayalam1 (Kerala, India) …………………………………………………… 34
Malinke-Bambara-Dyula (W Africa) …………………………………………. 9
Mandarin (China, Taiwan, Singapore) ………………………………………… 864
Marathi1 (Maharashtra, India) ………………………………………………… 64
Mazandarani (S Mazandaran, N Iran) ………………………………………… 2
Mbundu (or Umbundu) (Benguela, Angola) ………………………………….. 3
Mbundu (or Kimbundu) (Luanda, Angola) …………………………………… 3
Meithei (NE India; Bangladesh) ………………………………………………. 1
Mende (S and E Sierra Leone) ………………………………………………… 2
Meru (Eastern Province, C Tanzania) …………………………………………. 1
Miao (or Hmong) (S China; SE Asia) …………………………………………. 5
Mien (China; Vietnam; Laos; Thailand) ………………………………………. 2
Min (SE China; Taiwan; Malaysia) …………………………………………… 48
Minangkabau (W Sumatra, Indonesia) ……………………………………….. 6
Moldavian (included with Romanian)
Mongolian (Mongolia; NE China) …………………………………………….. 5
Mordvin (USSR) ………………………………………………………………. 1
Moré (central part of Burkina Faso) …………………………………………… 4
Nepali (Nepal, NE India; Bhutan) …………………………………………….. 13
Ngulu (Zambezia, Mozambique Malawi) …………………………………….. 2
Nkole (Western Province, Uganda) …………………………………………… 1
Norwegian (Norway) …………………………………………………………. 5
Nung (NE of Hanoi, Vietnam; China) ………………………………………… 1
Nupe (Kwara, Niger States, Nigeria) ………………………………………….. 1
Nyamwezi-Sukuma (NW Tanzania) ………………………………………….. 4
Nyanja (Malawi; Zambia; N Zimbabwe) ……………………………………… 4
Oriya1 (E India) ……………………………………………………………….. 30
Oromo (W Ethiopia; N Kenya) ……………………………………………….. 10
Pampangan (NW of Manila, Philippines) …………………………………….. 2
Panay-Hiligaynon (Philippines) ………………………………………………. 6
Pangasinan (Philippines) ……………………………………………………… 2
Pashtu (Pakistan; Afghanistan; Iran) …………………………………………. 21
Pedi (see Sotho, Northern)
Persian (Iran; Afghanistan) …………………………………………………… 32
Polish (Poland) ……………………………………………………………….. 43
Portugese (Portugal, Brazil) ………………………………………………….. 173
Provençal (S France) …………………………………………………………. 4
Punjabi1 (Punjab, Pakistan; NW India) ……………………………………….. 84
Pushto (see Pashtu – many spellings)
Quechua (Peru; Bolivia; Ecuador; Argentina) ………………………………… 8
Rejang (SW Sumatra, Indonesia) ……………………………………………… 1
Riff (N Morocco; Algerian Coast) …………………………………………….. 1
Romanian (Romania; Moldavia, USSR) ……………………………………… 25
Romany (Vlach only) (Europe; America) …………………………………….. 1
Ruanda (Rwanda; S Uganda; E Zaire) ………………………………………… 8
Rundi (Burundi) ………………………………………………………………. 6
Russian (USSR) ……………………………………………………………….. 293
Samar-Leyte (Central E Philippines) ………………………………………….. 3
Sango (Central African Republic) …………………………………………….. 3
Santali (E India; Nepal) ………………………………………………………. 5
Sasak (Lombok, Alas Strait, Indonesia) ………………………………………. 1
Serbo-Croatian (Yugoslavia) …………………………………………………. 20
Sgaw (SW, W, N of Rangoon, Burma) ……………………………………….. 1
Shan (Shan, E Burma) ………………………………………………………… 3
Shilha (W Algeria; S Morocco) ……………………………………………….. 3
Shona (Zimbabwe) ……………………………………………………………. 7
Sidamo (Sidamo, S Ethiopia) …………………………………………………. 1
Sindhi1 (SE Pakistan; W India) ……………………………………………….. 16
Sinhalese (Sri Lanka) …………………………………………………………. 13
Slovak (Czechoslovakia) ……………………………………………………… 5
Slovene (Slovenia, NW Yugoslavia) ………………………………………….. 2
Soga (Busoga, Uganda) ……………………………………………………….. 1
Somali (Somalia; Ethiopia; Kenya; Djbouti) ………………………………….. 7
Songye (Kasia Or., NW Shala, Zaire) …………………………………………. 1
Soninke (Mali; countries to W, S, E) ………………………………………….. 1
Sotho, Northern (South Africa) ……………………………………………….. 3
Sotho, Southern (South Africa; Lesotho) ……………………………………… 4
Spanish (Spain; Central and South America; Caribbean) ……………………… 341
Sundanese (Sunda Strait, Indonesia) ………………………………………….. 24
Swahili (Kenya; Tanzania; Zaire; Uganda) …………………………………… 43
Swati (Swaziland; South Africa) ……………………………………………… 1
Swedish (Sweden; Finland) …………………………………………………… 9
Sylhetti (Bangladesh) …………………………………………………………. 5
Tagalog (Philippines) …………………………………………………………. 36
Tajiki (USSR) ………………………………………………………………… 4
Tamazight (N Morocco; W Algeria) ………………………………………….. 3
Tamil1 (Tamil Nadu, India; Sri Lanka) ……………………………………….. 65
Tatar (USSR) ………………………………………………………………….. 7
Tausug (Philippines; Malaysia) ……………………………………………….. 1
Telugu1 (Andhra Pradesh, SE India) ………………………………………….. 68
Temne (C Sierra Leone) ………………………………………………………. 1
Thai5 (Thailand) ………………………………………………………………. 48
Tho (N Vietnam; S China) …………………………………………………….. 1
Thonga (Mozambique; South Africa) …………………………………………. 3
Tibetan (SW China; N India; Nepal) ………………………………………….. 5
Tigrinya (S Eritrea, Tigre, Ethiopia) ………………………………………….. 4
Tiv (SE Nigeria; Cameroon) ………………………………………………….. 2
Tong (see Dong)
Tonga (SW Zambia; NW Zimbabwe) ………………………………………… 2
Tswana (Botswana; South Africa) ……………………………………………. 3
Tudza (N Vietnam; S China) …………………………………………………. 1
Tulu (S India) ………………………………………………………………… 2
Tumbuka (N Malawi; NE Zambia) …………………………………………… 2
Turkish (Turkey) ……………………………………………………………… 55
Turkmen (S USSR; NE Iran; Afghanistan) …………………………………… 3
Twi-Fante (see Akan)
Uighur (Xinjang, NW China; SC USSR) ……………………………………… 7
Ukranian (USSR; Poland) …………………………………………………….. 45
Urdu4 (Pakistan; India) ……………………………………………………….. 92
Uzbek (USSR) ………………………………………………………………… 13
Vietnamese (Vietnam) ………………………………………………………… 57
Wolaytta (SW Ethiopia) ………………………………………………………. 2
Wolof (Senegal) ………………………………………………………………. 6
Wu (Shanghai and nearby provinces, China) …………………………………. 62
Xhosa (SW Cape Province, South Africa) …………………………………….. 7
Yao (see Mien) (Malawi; Tanzania; Mozambique)
Yi (S and SW China) ………………………………………………………….. 6
Yiddish6
Yoruba (SW Nigeria; Zou, Benin) …………………………………………….. 18
Zande (NE Zaire; SW Sudan) …………………………………………………. 1
Zhuang (S China) ……………………………………………………………… 14
Zulu (N Natal, South Africa; Lesotho) ………………………………………… 7
(1) One of the fifteen languages of the Constitution of India. (2) See Kabyle, Riff, Shilha, and Tamazight. (3) See Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu, Min, and Hakka. The “common speech” (Putonghua) or the “national language” (Guoyu) is a standardised form of Mandarin as spoken in the area of Beijing. (4) Hindi and Urdu are essentially the same language, Hindustani. As the official language of Pakistan it is written in a modified Arabic script and called Urdu. As the official language of India it is written in the Devanagari script and called Hindi. (5) The distinction between some Thai dialects and Lao is political rather than linguistic. (6) Yiddish is usually considered a variant of German, though it has its own standard grammar, dictionaries, a highly developed literature, and is written in Hebrew characters.

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