These days, there is barely an inch of human activity where English isn’t the dominant language. Alongside the globalization we have seen since the end of the century, the rise of English has gradually continued, to the point of being the international language that it is today. Its rise as a ‘lingua franca’ has impacted on all non-English speaking countries, including Spain, and affects almost every industry and profession worldwide.

English is currently the most widely taught language, and is read and spoken all over the world. It’s the most common second language in 89 countries, and is a high priority on almost every country’s primary and secondary school curriculum. It’s also the most in-demand language, learnt by 80% of language students.

English is the language of science and technology. 75% of the world’s scientific and technological papers are written in it. It’s also undoubtedly the predominant language of the internet, and 80% of content online is written in English. In computing and programming, this language is becoming indispensible. Although the majority of programmes are translated for users, it’s common to find software which is available only in English. Also, much of the time English is necessary to understand programming languages.

No less important is the role of English in transport and communication. Many of the main airlines, for example, have adopted it as an official language, for use by their pilots and flight controllers.

In international ...