International English the sphere of influence of English-speaking countries. Here English may serve as a useful lingua franca between ethnic and language groups. Higher education, the legislature and judiciary, national commerce, and so on, may all be carried out predominantly in English. The "expanding circle" refers to those countries where English has no official role, but is nonetheless important for certain functions, e.g. international business and tourism. By the twenty-first century, non-native English speakers have come to outnumber native speakers by a factor of three, according to the British Council. Darius Degher, a professor at Malmö University in Sweden, uses the term
Plain English Plain English Plain English (or layman's terms) is language that is easy to understand, emphasizes clarity and brevity, and avoids overly complex vocabulary. Additionally, it is free of clichés and needless technical jargon, and should be appropriate to the audience's developmental or educational level and their familiarity with the topic. The term is commonly used when discussing government or business communication. The term derives from the 16th-century idiom "in plain English", meaning "in clear, straightforward language". In 1946, writer George Orwell wrote an impassioned essay, "Politics and the English Language", criticising what he saw as the dangers of "ugly and