It's kinda cool to see how fast English has become more of a second language over about one generation or so 
For the generation of my parents it's still sort of an 'exotic language' while from my gen(im 30 btw) till now it seems more of a second language many people can understand and express themselves with
Ofc this is just how I perceive it but maybe the coming of the internet did have something to do with it 
I'm so jealous of (and impressed by) folks who are bilingual. I've tried to learn Spanish so many times, but I still suck at it.
maybe even more lol!Netherland and Scandinavia have had good English-speakers for decades. I think that has to do with subtitles on TV-shows and movies.
European countries that dub their stuff usually have lesser English proficiency and heavier accents.
That schools teach it earlier is also a factor, but never underestimate the value of watching learning-language video content with native-language subtitles for learning both vocab and accent.
I have been bilingual Norwegian/English since I was about 5. I have always taken an interest in languages and have a "hobby" of figuring out where people are from based on their accent when speaking English. With Norwegians, I can very often know the region they are from as well by their accents.
Dutch, Swedish, Danish and Norwegians speaking English have much higher proficiency in vocab and accent than Germans, Swiss, Italians and Spanish. Because... subtitles vs dubbing.
@stux So - as someone who only speaks English (other than a few Portuguese swear words), a question for you (or others who are from non-English-first language countries)
Do you see English eventually displacing your countries native language?
I'm Norwegian - and no.
Native languages are not only for communication. They also carry the culture of where they "live". I could tell you that a nisse hid my laptop, but you wouldn't understand fully. You do not have the cultural context to know what a nisse is. Every language carries the culture of the speakers. This is why supporting learning of endangered languages is important. If the languages disappear, much of the culture goes too.
@stux
Internet + cheaper easier travel + cultural media import (our state tv plays lots of subtitled British series, or did the last time I watched any broadcast TV) + education
there's always sort of been a lingua franca for political/trade/knowledge exchange, which is probably English now bc the British empire was the last great empire
but I think you're right that this is probably the first time masses of normal ppl have been fluent in it to this degree
I think the coming of subtitles on TV had a lot to do with it. Most countries offered a lot of English-language programs. I have noticed that those European countries that use subtitles instead of dubbing also have the best English-speakers.
English (one of the most complicated languages!) has by default become the international lingua franca and many countries are teaching English in schools for younger age groups. In Norway, from age 6 or less. 1/2
My 13-year-old niece speaks fantastic English and even loves to play around with speaking in various accents.
Of course the internet and even greater access to English-language television and video helps to learn vocabulary and accent better.
I have the impression that most kids in countries where internet/streaming is easily available are quite sturdy in English as well as their native language(s). 2/2
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