Very gradually, and later than you might think. Even though Great Britain and later the USA had become the major economic and political forces since the beginning of the 20th century, as late as the 1980s very few people - even well-educated people - outside the English language-areas had any real fluency in English at all. The English language was in many ways made the universal language for trade, science and a lot of other things by the advent of the internet.
English is the International Trade Language.
colonization, global trade, and the rise of the internet and technology. English became a global lingua franca due to the influence of British colonialism, the economic power of English-speaking countries in global trade, and the dominance of English in the digital age.
English
The English language is a descendant of the original language Old English. Through trade and war, mostly, English was spread quickly though out England and beyond.
Because, unfortunately, English became an international language.
The British Empire's global spread led to the expansion of the English language as it was used as a common language in colonies and trade. This resulted in the adoption of new words and phrases from various languages, contributing to the richness and diversity of English vocabulary. Additionally, English became a dominant language in international communication and diplomacy due to the influence of the British Empire.
English became the national language of the US through a combination of historical influence from British colonial settlers, the establishment of English as the dominant language in government and education, and the adoption of English as the primary language for legal and official purposes. This process occurred over many centuries and was solidified with the founding of the United States in 1776.
Arabic was the main language of government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in west africa
English became Fiji's official language primarily due to the colonial influence of the British in the 19th century. The British established a colonial administration and introduced English for governance, education, and trade, leading to its widespread use. Additionally, the arrival of indentured laborers from India further solidified English as a common language among diverse ethnic groups in Fiji. Today, English serves as a unifying language in the multi-ethnic society of Fiji.
It is English, the language of international trade and global domination.
Your native language is the language you learned as a child. The Europeans have no native language. Instead, people in Europe have a number of native languages. Most people on this earth learn two or three languages. That way they can communicate with their closest neighbors. England used to have a great commercial empire. They spread their language far and wide. It became convenient for people to learn English to trade with the English. People who traded with the English and Americans could then use English to trade with each other. English became an important language for world business. Each country kept its native language. Each of the 28 nations of the European Common Market have all of its documents translated into its native language. That means there are 28 different translations done of every document. Most of the work of the Common Market is done in a language derived from English. It uses a simplified vocabulary and is developing its own idioms. Americans can easily understand it but have not been trained in using it. In America, the Indians spoke their native language. They now learn English. Many of them still speak their native language.
Serves as a lingua franca: a language of trade, academia and diplomacy.