Historically, the distribution of languages in the world reflects the distribution of power in the world. The most widely used languages, such as English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian, are or have been languages of empires that have actively promoted other Nations use their language. Changes in the distribution of power have produced changes in language use. Both Britain and France have insisted on using their own language in their colonies, but most of the former colonies have worked hard to replace the empire with native languages after independence. Language and achieved varying degrees of success. The text is intended to explain:. ['The native language is an important symbol of national independence.', 'Linguistic use is a manifestation of political power.', 'Using language to promote language is unsustainable.', 'Colonialism has a profound impact on language distribution.']