Euro English

 ( 1986 Neologisms ) 

European English, or Euro English , is a proposed variety of English that may be emerging in continental Europe, though its existence as a distinct variety remains debated. The variety is not currently recognised by the ISO or the Glottolog.

---

History Following the establishment of the European Union, English became the most spoken language in Europe. Europeans and their Languages , Data for EU27 , published in 2012. The big shift in favour of English was the result of the Enlargement of the European Union, in which English was the second most common language in the new members. Additionally, the Erasmus Programme, the Schengen Area, and the customs union created a group of mobile young people who needed a lingua franca to communicate across Europe, and English usually filled that role.

In 2006, many academics rejected the idea that European English existed as an independent variety of English.

In 2012, a study on Erasmus students, found that there was still not enough evidence to conclude European English constituted an independent variety. The linguist Forche would write: 'The question whether the appropriation of English by non-native speakers in Continental Europe is giving rise to a potential European variety of English has not yet been resolved.'

In 2017, the Unicode Common Locale Data Repository Project had defined "en-150" for European English.

Some academics argue that the UK's Brexit could allow the other Romance languages to have more of an influence on a European English.

In 2021, the linguist Mannoni claimed that the English used in European Union law is a hybrid language distinct from British English.

---

Usage Today, European English mostly reflects British English. At the institutional level, the European Union primarily employs British English as its standard written form. Official style guides specify British spelling and usage (for example, labour rather than labor, defence rather than defense). In 2019, a study of German and Swedish teachers found that they would not welcome the use of a unified European English.

However, there is some speculation that the variety may evolve. Some speakers may drop the third person singular suffix (-s): he often call meetings. Others use the progressive aspect with stative predicates: italic=yes instead of I come from Spain. Some give words a plural with a final s: italic=yes and italic=yes. However, it is unclear whether these will be widely adopted.

---

See also

• African English
• Indian English
• American English
• English as a lingua franca
• Glossary of European Union concepts, acronyms, and jargon
• International English

---

Bibliography

• (2025). 382336250X, Gunter Narr Verlag. 382336250X

---

Further reading

• English in the European Union – Worlds of English (2/4), Open University
• (2025). 9783700732136, LexisNexis. ISBN 9783700732136
• English Style Guide: "A handbook for authors and translators in the European Commission" – executive branch of the European Union.
• Interinstitutional Style Guide -- used across several institutions of the European Union, European Economic Area, and the European Free Trade Association.

Post Comment