Working language

A working language (also procedural language) is a language that is given a unique legal status in a supra-national company, society, state or other body or organization as its primary mean of communication. It is primarily the language of the daily correspondence and conversation, since the organization usually has members with various differing language backgrounds.

Most international organizations have working languages for their bodies. For a given organization, a working language may or may not also be an official language.

Examples of common International organizations

• The United Nations has six official and working languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.^[1].
• The United Nations Secretariat has two working languages: English and French; all Secretaries-General of the UN are consequently required (unofficially) to be fluent in both.
• The World Trade Organization has three working languages: English, French and Spanish.
• The International Criminal Court has two working languages: English and French.^[2]
• The Council of Europe has two working languages: English and French.
• The International Telecommunications Union has three working languages: English, French and Spanish.
• The European Commission has three working languages: English, French and German.
• The Free Trade Area of the Americas has three working languages: English, French and Spanish.
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has two working languages: Chinese and Russian.
• Mercosur has two working languages: Portuguese and Spanish.
• NATO has two working languages: English and French.
• FIFA has four working languages: English, French, German and Spanish. Formerly, French was the sole official language of the organization. Currently, English is the official language for minutes, correspondence, and announcements.
• The African Union currently uses Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili.
• The Southern African Development Community has four working languages: Afrikaans, English, French and Portuguese.
• The International Labour Organization has three working languages: English, French and Spanish.

Other Examples

• East Timor has Indonesian as working language but not official.
• Goa has Marathi as working language but the Konkani is solely official in the state.

See also

• Home language
• Lingua franca
• International auxiliary language

References