Page 5 Advertisements Column 6

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 April 1910, Page 5

There is an interesting and, from the national Doint of view, a satisfactory statement' in the statistics lately published in an Italian journal concernin? the growth of modern languages. According "to th* figures given the English language, which a century ago was spoken 1 by twenty million individuals, is now tlie means" by which no fewer than a hundred millions give expression to their views o things. French, on the other hand, has spread less than any of the chief European languages, for whereas it was used by thirty-four million men at the beginning of the nineteenth century, it is now spoken by forty-six million. Seventy million individuals speak German to-day, against thirjy-six a hundred years ago; sixtypine millions Russian, against thirtymillions; thirty-two millions Italian, against eighteen millions; and fortyfour millions Spanish, against thirty [(pillions. •