Thread: Language question, what does NB mean? split

Originally Posted by cali kid

Originally Posted by Lily

That is why it is the International Language. If the French had been just a little better at colonising, as the British, French could be the international language.

I thought French was the international language until after WWII when the USA became so renowned and made it English.
Thats what I thought.

French was the international language of diplomacy while English was the international language of commerce. Guess which one was more important. The British Empire was the largest commercial empire the world has ever seen and pretty much everywhere you went in the world there was likely to be at least an imperial trading post. These days people do learn English so they can go to or trade with the USA but it's been the most important international language since long before the USA was a powerful player on the world stage.

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