How many languages can Europeans speak?
By Beatrice Clarke
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What is the average number of languages spoken by the EU population?
Czech linguist Jakub Marian set about answering this question by visualising linguistic ability on a map of Europe.
Based on the European Commission’s 2012 Eurobarometer 386 survey, Marian combined the percentages of people who speak a certain number of second languages to calculate the average number of languages spoken per country. He then created a map showing average number of languages spoken in EU nations.
According to Marian’s research, people in the Netherlands have a talent for languages! However, judging by the heated debate on Marian’s website, not everyone agrees with his findings!
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Beatrice is a native Melbournian who moved to the Netherlands in 2009. With a background in independent publishing and fashion, Beatrice honed her understanding of Dutch language and culture working for three years in cosmopolitan Heerhugowaard. Read more