MODERN LANGUAGES.
, There is an interesting and, from th® national point of view, a satisfactory statement in the statistics lately published in an Italian journal concerning the growth of modern languages. According to the fi/gures given, the English language, which, a century ago wa» spoken by twenlby million individuals, is now the means by which no fewer than a hundred millions give expression to their views on things. French, on the other hand, has spread less than; any of the chief European languages, for whereas it was used hy 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 thirty-six a hundred years ago; Sixty-nine millions Russian, against thirty millions; thirty-two _ millions Italian, against eighteen millions; and forty-tour millions Spanish, against thirty millions. '
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19100530.2.144
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7140, 30 May 1910, Page 12
Word Count
137MODERN LANGUAGES. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7140, 30 May 1910, Page 12
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Times. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.