How Many Languages Are There In The World?

It is estimated that there are between five and six thousand languages spoken in the world today. Due to many different cultures adopting many different dialects, new languages are cropping up and being added to the list all the time. A different language is classed as when another person of one language can not understand the other language.
English is officially the language spoken by 52 countries as well as many smaller colonies. In addition to this, one quarter of the world's population is able to understand and speak the English language. It is the most useful language to speak when travelling to other countries because so many of them teach English as a second language. In 2001, 189 member countries in the United Nations were asked what language they wish to use for communication with embassies from other countries.  More than 120 chose English, 40 selected French, and 20 wanted to use Spanish.  Those who wanted English to be the common language included all of the former Soviet republics, Viet Nam, and most of the Arab world.

There is approximately 40 different languages and an untold number of different dialects for each one

There are about 7000 languages spoken throughout the world.

Check the NY Times and www.ethnologue.com

There are about 6900 known languages worldwide. For more information, see the link below. Keep in mind many of these are variations of one another and some are only spoken by a handful of people.There's a problem with this, though. The distinction between a language and a dialect is abritrary. There are no scientific criteria, and the decision whether to call a variety of language a dialect or something more impressive is socio-political, not linguistic.6901 including mine