English is an international language, and many varieties of English – sometimes referred
to as dialects – are spoken around the world. Standard English is the variety of English that
is used as the language of education, law, and government in English-speaking countries.
Some varieties of English are very different – not only in pronunciation or accent but also
in vocabulary and sentence structure – from the English required for success in Ontario
schools. Some varieties are so different from standard English that many linguists consider
them to be languages in their own right.