English Speaking European Countries?

[Brett_Tabke]

I know you folks over there all talk seven different languages (grin), how many countries are there in Europe where English is the first or second predominate language?

[Machiavelli]

Rencke wrote:
English #1 in UK & Ireland only.

But English is one of the two official languages of Malta [webmasterworld.com] and the population is truly bilingual.

[rencke]

Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa. How could I forget Malta? <hanging head in shame>

[backus]

Re: Czech and Slovak Republics...

English not a problem here. Most kids are learning it at school. <If you don't mind the fact they say cet instead of cat, and bas instead of bus --- sound like ****neys really!>

[backus]

What???? ****ney (kokney) is not a swear word!!

[backus]

****roach?

[rencke]

:) John Han**** signed the declaration of Independence and is one the founding fathers of the United States. There is a Han**** building in Chicago, owned by Han**** Insurance. You have just discovered a special feature of WmW.

PS. Congratulations to your new rank as Senior Member. That star sure looks good on your shoulder backus.

[backus]

Thanks, I worked hard to get it ;) What's the next step?

[Larvef The Wanderer]

I've been to Prague recently and found it a little bit of a problem to speak English with people there. My native knowledge of Russian was more helpful in some cases than was English. I, nevertheless, was quite apprehensive of addressing people in Russian and preferred English even when people didn't understand me.

As to Ukraine and Belorussia - the linguistic situation is very much similar to that in Ireland: you can expect that in many cases natives know their native tongue worse than they know Russian.

[backus]

I, as a native Englishman, have found absolutely no problem speaking English. Of course, if you take the average Joe working in a shop, then that might be a bit of a problem, but the Internet user is generally more literate in English.