The Five Languages of the Group of Seven to Ensure Your Global Success

There are more than 7,000 different languages spoken around the world. If you are a company wishing to expand your global reach by translating your website and apps into other languages, you might find this fact to be alarming. Translating your content into 7,000 different languages would indeed be a daunting task. However, be assured that you can get by with the far more reasonable number of five. These are the five main languages spoken in those countries comprising the organization known as the Group of Seven (more commonly referred to as the G7).

What is the Group of Seven (G7)?

The Group of Seven (G7) is a group made up of the following member countries:

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, JapanThe G7 countries combined represent over 46% of the worldwide gross domestic product (GDP). Therefore, the five languages spoken in these seven major economies are the ones that any company wishing to enter the global marketplace should concentrate on. These languages, described below, are not only spoken in the G7 countries, but also in many other countries and regions around the world.

English

English is known as “the second language of the world” because of its high number of non-native speakers. It is an official language in over ninety countries, and more than 1.5 billion people speak it. English has become the international language of global business and politics. Native English-speaking countries include countries with the world’s largest economies. The US, with a GDP of more than $20 trillion, has the biggest economy in the world. English translations are essential for any business wishing to compete in the global marketplace.

French

French can lay claim to being one of the world’s fastest-growing languages. French is the official language of twenty-nine countries spanning five continents, and is second only to English with respect to the breadth of its influence. 50% of native French speakers can be found in Africa where populations and economic development are on the rise. France itself, with a GDP of more than $2.5 trillion, has the sixth largest economy in the world. French translations are likely to be of significant importance to any company looking to expand internationally.

German

German is a language that is not as widely spoken as English or French, but it is still one of the major languages spoken in parts of Europe. Germany has the largest economy in Europe, with a GDP of around $4 trillion. The German language, together with English and French, is an important procedural language of the European Union (EU). For this reason, German translations can help increase exposure to the EU which boasts a GDP in excess of $18 trillion.

Italian

Italy has a GDP of around $2 trillion. Italy is the fifth most popular destination for tourists and has fifty-three World Heritage Sites - more than any other country in the world. Apart from the significance of the Italian language inside Europe, Italian also exerts a great deal of influence in Central and South and America and in some regions in Africa. Italian translations, therefore, provide opportunities to expand into several new markets.

Japanese

Although most Japanese language speakers live in Japan and its nearby islands (124 million out of the language’s 128 million speakers), Japanese is a language of great importance in global business. Japan comes in as third in the ranking of world economies and has a GDP of nearly $5 trillion. The country is a manufacturing and electronic engineering powerhouse and Japanese brands are familiar worldwide. Over 600 Fortune 500 companies are represented in Tokyo. With Japanese business having such a significant worldwide impact, Japanese translation services are a vital tool for any business looking for global success.

Translation Services from Localize

Professional translations of just these five languages can enable a global company to expand into more than one hundred countries spread across all seven continents. Localize’s translation and localization services can act as a springboard to launch your company into the global marketplace. Contact us for more information on our services relating to these five majorlanguages and any other languages you deem necessary for success in your global marketing campaigns.