Birmingham is one of the UK’s largest cities, and has a total population of 1.1 million people. Unsurprisingly, the most widely spoken language in the city is English, which is spoken by 866,833 people or 84.7% of the city’s total population. However, according to the 2011 census, there are also many foreign languages spoken in Birmingham, such as Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, and Pakistani Pahari to name a few.
Urdu
The Urdu language is the most widely spoken foreign language in Birmingham. Urdu is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family and is spoken globally by 170 million speakers.
In total, Urdu is spoken by 29,403 people in the city and is also the fourth most widely spoken foreign language in the UK, spoken by an estimated 269,000 people. After the partition of India in 1947, Urdu speakers migrated to the UK from India and Pakistan, with many people settling in the West Midlands in areas such as Birmingham. There are several radio stations and TV stations in the UK which broadcast in Urdu, one of which, Radio XL, is based in Birmingham.
Punjabi
The Punjabi language, part of the Indo-Aryan language family, is spoken by 21,166 people in Birmingham, comprising 2.07% of the population in the city. In addition to the many speakers of the Punjabi language in Birmingham, 68,525 people speak Punjabi in London 273,000 people in total speak the language in the UK, making it the second most widely spoken foreign language in the country. A significant number of Punjabi speakers immigrated to the West Midlands, primarily Birmingham, in the late 1940s and 1950s after the expansion of the UK citizenship laws in the Commonwealth. Many also came to Birmingham in the 1970s after the expulsion of all Asian people in Uganda by Idi Amin.
Bengali (with Sylheti and Chatgaya)
Bengali, also known as Bangla, is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family. The language, as well as the dialects of Sylheti and Chatgaya, are spoken by 14,718 people in Birmingham, comprising 1.44% of the city’s population. Two Bengali dialects, known as Sylheti and Chatgaya, are also spoken by people in Birmingham who have been classified in the 2011 census as Bengali speakers. Sylheti and Chatgaya are distinct from the Bengali language as both dialects use a writing system called the Bengal-Assamese script, whereas Bengali utilises the Bengali script. Whilst Sylheti is regarded as a mutually intelligible dialect of Bengali, Chatgaya is not considered to be mutually intelligible with Bengali. Outside of Birmingham, the Bengali language is spoken by 114,267 people in London and by 221,403 people in the UK.
Pakistani Pahari
Pakistani Pahari, also known as Pahari-Pothwari, is an Indo-Aryan language that is spoken by 10,827 people in Birmingham, or around 1.06% of the city’s total population. The language is written using the Naskh Arabic script and is primarily spoken by people who practise the Islamic faith. In the context of the wider UK, Pahari-Pothwari is classified in the 2011 census as part of the Punjabi language, which is spoken by 273,000 people in the UK.
Polish
Polish is a Slavic language that is part of the Indo-European language family and is spoken by an estimated total of 8,952 people in Birmingham, which accounts for 0.87% of the city’s total population. There are also 147,816 speakers of the Polish language in London, and the language is also the second most widely spoken foreign language in the UK, spoken by a total of 546,000 people. The use of the Polish language in Birmingham, as well as the rest of the UK, increased when Poland became part of the EU in 2004, and more Polish people migrated to live and work in the country.
Somali
Somali is part of the Afro-Asiatic language family and is the native language of Somalia, East Africa. Within large cities such as Birmingham, the Somali community is considerably large, with an estimated 35,000 people of Somali heritage living within the West Midlands city. An exact number of speakers cannot be pinpointed but the 2011 census tells us that Somali accounts for around 0.7% of Birmingham’s population.
The UK is home to the largest Somali population in Europe, with many of the east African natives migrating to the UK, in particular around times of war in search of comfortable living and stable employment. An increase in migrants was also prevalent during the civil war with the arrival of people seeking refuge from their country.
Arabic
Arabic is an incredibly versatile language, being the official language of over 20 different countries, this makes the total number of native speakers around 375 million. The Arabic community is vast within Birmingham, with a high concentration of people coming from middle eastern countries. Large numbers of Arabic speakers in Birmingham have been here since birth, having adopted their native tongue as a first language. Similarly, many are bilingual and speak it fluently alongside English. The Arabic community are very keen to gel with society, as they continually strive to promote their culture. Birmingham plays a huge part in the involvement of the Arab British Centre, with an array of insightful and exciting events celebrating the Arab culture and community.
Pashto
The Pashto language makes up part of the Indo-Iranian language family, posing as the official language of Afghanistan. British Afghans within the United Kingdom, account for around 79,000 people with a large proportion of these living and working in Birmingham. This means that the Pashto language is rife in the city, with the census telling us that 0.6% of Birmingham’s population being native Pashto speakers.
Gujarati
Gujarati is a native Indian language, also part of the Indo-Aryan web of dialects. The Indian community is large and continues to grow within Birmingham, although present throughout most of the city, a large proportion of the community live in areas to the west. Gujarati is perhaps less common than languages like Urdu and Bengali, but many native speakers still live and work around Birmingham. In fact, a lot of Gujarati speakers are non-proficient in English, meaning the requirement for Gujarati interpreters is high.
Persian
Persian, also known as Farsi, is an official language of many countries. Its prevalence within the UK has evolved over the years, with the arrival of migrants looking for employment and safe living. Whilst we can’t be sure of exacting numbers, the Persian community in Birmingham makes up a considerable amount of the population. A lot of Persian speakers are also fluent in English, with many being born into the UK. As the growth of the Persian community continues, Birmingham continues to house an extensively large diversity of citizens.
Final Thoughts
Birmingham is perhaps one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the UK, with a population of well over 1 million citizens. The varying array of dialects around the city provides an assortment of cultural statuses. Whilst a lot of foreign language speakers also know English to a certain degree, some do not. This means that certain communication barriers exist, meaning the need for interpreters is high. Should you require an interpreter for any of the languages above, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
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