Duolingo Reveals Nonwhite Invasion

MAY 11, 2016 BY TNO STAFF— IN EUROPE




Swedish is the language which is most studied in Sweden—because one in six residents in 2015 was born outside of Sweden, new figures from that online language course have revealed.

The Duolingo Swedish course is currently being used by 27 percent of all users in Sweden.

Duolingo—based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US—is a free language-learning platform that includes a language-learning website and app, as well as a digital language proficiency assessment exam.

Normally, a “native” language would be the least studied in any nation. Yet, as the Duolingo figures show, this is not the case in Sweden.

“Why would that be the case?” asked the Duolingo press release on their findings—before answering their own question: “Immigration to Sweden has been skyrocketing in recent years: one in six Swedish residents in 2015 was born outside of Sweden.”

The Duolingo report continued:

“The fastest growing foreign-born groups are from Syria and Afghanistan, reflecting a recent increase in the refugee population.

“Duolingo recently released a Swedish course for Arabic speakers, which will hopefully help!”

The company’s press release went on: “But it’s not just Sweden. There are several other countries where immigrants are using Duolingo to learn the language of their new home.”

“In the United States, immigrants constitute 13.1 percent of the total population. But even more—over 20 percent of the population—speak a language other than English at home, and over 25 million people speak English less than ‘very well,’” the Duolingo statement said, quoting US Census Bureau figures.

“Perhaps not surprisingly, then, English is the second most popular language in the United States, attracting 21 percent of the country’s Duolingo users.”

Another case is Norway, the Duolingo press release continued.

There, Norwegian “is the second most popular language (with 18 percent of all users).

“Similarly to Sweden, Norway has been recently accepting many migrants and refugees. According to the data from the beginning of the year, immigrants constitute 13.4 percent of the total population in Norway.”

Duolingo Reveals Nonwhite Invasion